Believe: A beauty and the Beast tail
by Asahi the storyteller
Summary: Maurice is accused of murder, Gaston gets lost in the woods with an enchanting girl, and everyone discovers that their fates were destined to cross. With the help of Cozette and the enchanted objects, can they break the spell before it's too late?
1. Prologue or why Asahi is telling a story

_Hello, first let me just say that I do not own beauty and the beast. I own the Video, DVD, two books, the soundtrack, and two dolls. but as for the movie itself.. that belongs to the Disney company._

_Summary: _

**A tale as old as time abouta girl, a Beast...and their dogs.Maurice is thrown into a murder plot, Gaston gets lost in the woods with an "enchanting girl," and Belle and Cardell discover that their fates were destined to cross. With the help ofCozette,Sultan, Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Babette, and Angelique, can they breakthe spell before it's too late?**

**INTRODUCTION**

Hello, my name isEmily the following story is a take on Beauty and the Beast. Hopefully it will have a twist that is entertaining and houmorus at the same time. Also this is my first Fanfic so please leave me a review and don't flame me to bad! I'm new at this! this is basicaly the longest dog Chapter so dont judge the rest of story by this one chapter:

It's late in the afternoon. Melanie is typing on the computer and grumbling to herself. Her dog's Asahi, Shanley, Christa and Kat are watching a movie on TV...

"I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog Too!" threatens the wicked witch in "The Wizard of OZ."

Shanley looks at the others and starts, "Well if you want my opinion--" "We don't," interrupts Asahi who was mad at Shanley for hiding her soundtrack CD of "The Wiz" this morning. Shanley continues, "If I were Toto, I would give that witch what for." Asahi sighs, "Please Shanley, we all know that you would be trying to steal the ruby red slippers for yourself, so you could turn Dorothy into a stick or something ridiculous like that!" Shanley looks at her. "Would not!" she sputters. "You take that back Asahi!" she demands. Asahi rolls her eyes at her and the two begin arguing.

Christa and Kat just sit there watching the movie. They are used to Asahi and Shanley arguing and have learned to ignore it. Kat reaches for a piece of popcorn to only discover that the bowl is empty. Kat looks at the bowl and then at Christa who is chewing the last piece."Christa!" she hisses. "I can't believe that you just ate half a bowl of popcorn in under three minutes! What do you have to say for yourself?" Christa sits there for a few seconds with a thoughtful look and then burps in Kat's face! Shanley and Asahi stop thier argument and stare at her. Kat screams, "Mama! Christa is being gross!" "Christa-Bell, you know better!" calles out Mel in a warning tone. "Sorry," says Christa, turning to look at Kat "I forgot to say excuse me, didn't I? Should I try it again?" "No!" shout the others in unison, and shaking their heads sadly about Christa's lack of manners, they settle down to watch the movie again.

Asahi hops off the couch and carries the bowl over to Mel. "Whatcha doing?" Asahi asks, placing the bowl at Melanie's feet. "Bills," grumbles Mel."Can we have some more popcorn please?" asks Asahi. "One bowl for us and one bowl for the piglet over there," she adds with a nod at Christa, who is running from one end of the couch to the other watching a Tag body spray commercial featuring the OGRE Shrek and his new scent Swamp time Romp. "I think they are getting more and more desperate," mutters Mel, making the popcorn. Asahi sits there wishing that she could think of something to do to keep everybody calmed down and out of Mel's way. Suddenly her tail wags. "I've got it!" she cries. "I'll tell everyone a story and it will keep them out of your hair!" Asahi dances around the room, giddy with happiness. "Sure Mille Bush" says Mel with a smile. "No, really," Asahi persists. "I could do a remake of Beauty and the Beast! if I tell about three chapters a day it will give you enough time to get done, right?"

Mel glances at the computer and all the bills and work she needs to catch up on, and then at the others who are now watching an Applejacks commercial starring their new spokeshorse the My Little Pony Apple Jack. Well, Kat is watching the commercial, Christa and Shanley are arguing about whether the cereal does or does not taste like apples, then about whether the horse does or does not taste like apples!

Asahi gives her a look that basically says "Do you have any other choice?" "Ok, why not? Sure, Asahi, let's see what you can do to get them to calm down for at least an hour," Mel says.

Asahi wags her tail and sits on her favorite pillow. "Turn off the TV," she orders the others. "Why?" they ask. "Because I'm going to tell you a story about a Beauty and a Beast and how they needed to believe in their own destiny, and the dog's that helped make it possible" she starts as the others gather around her.


	2. the story has yet to truly begin

_Hello, first let me just say that I do not own beauty and the beast. I own the Video, DVD, two books, the soundtrack, and two dolls- a beast mask, it's been missing for a few years now. but as for the movie itself.. that belongs to the Disney company._

**The story has yet to truly begin.**

Hope is a very powerful thing! But first you have to believe! That is what this story is about in my opinion: believing.

A long time ago in France there lived a king and queen and their son. The royal family was loved by everyone and were known for their kindness. The King, Aubrey, was a great negotiator and diplomat. The Queen, Danielle, was famous for her gardening and had a rose named after her. Their son, Cardell, was the sweetest little boy there ever was, though he was a bit mischievous with these puppy eyes that could charm his way out of any trouble he got into.

On the eve of his tenth birthday he was out on a carriage ride with his parents. Suddenly the carriage stopped and there was some shouting. Cardell's parents stepped out of the carriage to investigate. Scared, Cardell hid under the carriage seat. Suddenly he heard a scuffle and his father shouted, "Please don't hurt her! I'll do anything! Anything at all!"

Suddenly Cardell heard two gun shots and he bit back a cry. Someone entered the carriage and looked around briefly. "There's nothing of any value here!" cried the robber, and with that the band left, taking the carriage horse with them into the forest.

Cardell lay there in the carriage till the forest seemed to come to life after the horrible ordeal. The little boy came out of the carriage slowly and discovered his parents and the driver dead on the ground. He cried out to them in shock, "Mama! Papa! monsieur Marshall! Please wake up! they're gone!" He lay at his mother's side crying.

Suddenly a woman appeared and Cardell cried out in alarm. She wore a dress the same color as the sky and had an otherworldly appearance about her. The woman looked at the scene and Cardell saw a tear run down her check. She walked over to the boy and bent down to pick him up. Suddenly he looked and discovered that he was home. The woman kissed him gently on the forehead and whispered in his ear "Believe" and disappeared.

The castle door opened and the prince's governess, Mrs. Potts, rushed out the door and discovered the child sitting on the ground crying. When he told her the story about his parents she sent for Darcel the knight to retrieve the bodies.

After getting the child to settle down a bit in his room she told her two greatest friends in the castle, Lumiere, the head event planner, and Cogsworth, the head butler.

At the funeral a few days later everyone remarked at how Cardell didn't cry. Little did they know that his heart had turned to ice and his sweet puppy eyes were nothing more than cold pieces of steel.

Sadly the Robbers were never caught, though some had their suspicions.

Asahi stops for a moment to glare at Christa and Kat, who are crying. "That was the saddest story ever!" begins Christa. "Hush," demands Shanley. Asahi gives her a look of gratitude. "Now girls," she starts. "The story has yet to even truly begin" and she continues.

**Five years later..**

"My birthday next month will be the best one yet!" Prince Cardell exclaimed in front of his servants. He turned to his right hand man Darcel. "And do you want to know why?" he asked the knight. Darcel shook his head and thought to himself, "Probably because you will be dead and i'll be king."

Darcel turned when he heard an odd sound. Suddenly he was in chains and thrown to the ground. "Because I have the man responsible for the plot to kill me and my parents," Cardell finished, his voice dangerously low and his cold eyes flashing.

"Sire I..." began Darcel. "SILENCE!" screamed the prince. "On my birthday I will have a grand party and all of my guests will be treated to a hanging: yours!"

Darcel stared at the prince, thinking fast. "Your highness, I have been like a father to you! How could you believe such a lie! It must have been Lumiere and Cogsworth and that witch Mrs. Potts! They are using me as a scapegoat! Sire, please!"

The prince bent down, grabbed the knight by his shirt and hauled him to his feet. "If you ever speak about my truly faithful servants like that again, your son can join you!" Cardell nodded to the guards. "Take him away!" he ordered, throwing Darcel to the ground. He then watched him being dragged away.

Cardell then turned and walked towards his room. When he passed his parents old room he stopped in the doorway and looked in. Mrs. Potts came up behind him. She had heard what had happened. The fact that the prince had defended her and her two friends made her heart flutter with hope. Maybe there was a chance for the thirteen-year-old prince after all.

"Your highness," she began. He turned and looked at her and she saw all the pain that he had been holding inside for the past five years. He suddenly and stiffly hugged the woman, crying silently. He had dreamed of this moment for years, but it hurt to discover that someone he had trusted so much had betrayed him. Mrs. Potts rubbed his back comfortingly. There was truly nothing to say, so she let the moment just be.

After a few minutes she whispered, "Thank you for believing us." The prince looked up at her and gave a brisk nod. She gave him a handkerchief and said, "I won't say a word, sir." She walked away. Cardell smiled. He knew that he could trust her not to gossip about his moment of weakness. He breathed a sigh of relief. Now that the head conspirator was captured life was going to get better. The servants noticed during the next few weeks that the prince was not as gruff as usual.

Then the morning before his birthday he was greeted with horrible news: Darcel had petitioned to the king and he actually had pardoned the man! "Has my uncle gone mad? We have proof in the villan's own handwriting!" But when Cardell went to retrieve the notebooks that contained all of Darcel's meticulous plans he found them to be gone!

Cardell went to meet the king but it was to no avail. He was ordered to free Darcel and send him to the king's palace. When Cardell got home he did as commanded and set him free.

The castle was in an uproar and the prince went to his room and did not come out for weeks. He felt as if his parents had been killed all over again. When he finally came out he was even worse than before. Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, and Cogsworth were worried about him, and hoped that the king would see his mistake and that the prince could finally heal the wounds that seemed to have reopened.

about 8 months later Darcel was killed in battle, but it was a bittersweet moment. For you see, Mrs. Potts' husband was killed in the same battle. Cardell seemed to give up. He would not let anyone one near him unless it was to roar or growl a demand to one of his servants. Simply enough, he had decided that it was not worth the pain to care or love someone

**A few months later**

Sometimes, fate have a way of changing a person, In a way that will soon be seen the princes fate was brought to him in a basket one cold December day.

"The King, your uncle sends you a gift for this Christmas time season" the messenger announced setting a basket at his feet. The prince looked at the basket, It was covered with Oriental designs and was vibrating slightly, suddenly it yipped.

"What is it" Cardell asked studying the basket intently. He got up and walked towards it, the basket jumped and gave a bark. He opened it up and saw a puppy. He reached in and picked up the little ball of fur. It was white with tan spots and had the softest fur he ever felt. while he held it up he studied the puppy and it seemed that the puppy was studying him. Suddenly he felt a warm wet sensation and looked down at his shirt. The puppy had just peed on him.

Mrs Potts took the pup from him "He didn't mean it sir, He has been in that basket for a while. I had better take him to the kitchen, I'm sure that he's pretty hungry." and with that she ran off towards the kitchen before the prince realized what just happened.

He turned towards the messenger still in a state of shock and said in a low dangerous tone "Tell my uncle that the next time he wants to send me something utterly useless to try a three legged horse" and he ran off to change clothes. on the way back he ran into Mrs. Potts who had the puppy in her arms "Isn't he the sweetest thing" she cooed "The messenger said that he is a Pekingese, or sun dog, They come from China! He was very hard to get and probably the only one in all of Europe!" she held the puppy out to him

He looked at the puppy and could have sworn the squashed face little thing actually looked apologetic, it was kinda cute after all. He sighed "I guess it can stay, It can keep me company when I have my lessons" Though he pretended to be bored at the idea of having to pay attention to the puppy, everyone knew that he enjoyed him a lot. He named the puppy Sultan and the dog was his constant companion.


	3. Who could ever love a beast

_Hello, just to remind everyone. I do not own Beauty and the Beast just some merchandise, but i heard that it was for sell on ebay, Man being poor sucks._

**Who could ever love a beast?**

A year passed, and Prince Cardell's 15th birthday arrived. The servants spent most of their time running back and forth to keep up with the prince's orders. "I just don't know how much more I can take from that little Tyrant!" complained Cogsworth to Lumiere. Cogsworth had just been promoted to the prince's head adviser and, believed that schedules made the world go round also he was a stickler for rules and this would get on the others nerves horribly. Lumiere laughed. 'That boy is more than a tyrant. He is more like a lion!" he said with a smile.

"You two stop that right now!" demanded Mrs. Potts. The two men shared an embarrassed look. "How is the baby doing?" asked Lumiere. Mrs. Potts gave a small smile. Her son Christophe was about five months old, but he was going to be the spitting image of his late father. Everyone called him 'Chip' because he was a 'chip off the old block'. "He's fine - a little fussy but I have one of the maids watching him for the moment." Suddenly there was a shout and a messenger came running out of the throne room. "What in the world?" exclaimed Mrs. Potts, rushing to the throne room.

'That is why her hair is turning gray you know.' said the maid, Babette, nodding towards the throne room. She had entered the hallway and witnessed the event. Lumiere laughed, grabbing the woman and giving her a graceful dip. 'You will be dancing with me tomorrow, cherie, oui?' he flirted. 'We will be the best looking couple in the whole kingdom!' he added with a wink. Cogsworth shook his head. Lumiere was known for his friendly flirting, but Babette was his true love, though he would never let her know. Ignoring the two he walked to the throne room himself. Some times, Mrs. Potts could calm him down, but those times were few and far between.

Inside the ballroom, the prince was shouting at a messenger. "I don't care if he himself is dying! Go and get the clockmaker and drag him here! NOW!" Mrs. Potts shook her head. "Your highness," she began. "His wife and daughter are horribly ill - they might die if he left. No one else there can take care of them." She tried to get the prince to understand but he was in one of his worst moods yet. "I don't care!" Cardell growled. Sultan, who was by his side, growled also. As the messenger walked by Mrs. Potts and whispered in her ear. "It's all right; I'd rather be in the storm than here. I'll just be a while getting back. Bridges are always getting washed out, you know. The man will not have to leave his family." She smiled at him gratefully. Just then another messenger arrived with more bad news. The guests that were to arrive that night were delayed by the storm. Cardell went to ranting and raving even more than ever. The horrible storm outside suddenly seemed much more cheerful than the atmosphere in the whole castle.

A few hours later the storm seemed to have reached it's worst point inside and outside the castle. "What is taking so long?" Cardell roared. "That messenger should be back by now!" Suddenly there was a knock on the front door and the prince rushed to answer it. 'That clockmaker better have designed that clock to my liking, or else..." he thought to himself. When he yanked the door open he was surprised to find a rather ugly old woman standing there. "What do you want?" he snapped.

Mrs. Potts had heard the door and had come to answer it, Sultan at her heels, when she heard Cardell's rude greeting. She looked in the mirror in the hallway and saw a beautiful woman standing there wearing a dress green as the forest in the summertime. Her beauty had something otherworldly about it. When she got to be able to view the doorway she saw what the prince did - an ugly old woman. Hearing tales of enchantresses as a child she decided to remain out of sight unless she was needed. Sultan hurried to his master's side.

The hag looked at the prince and offered him a rose. "I am but a poor old beggar woman and I bring you this gift of a true Danielle rose." Cardell stared at the rose. It smelled just like his mother and seemed to give off a warm and comfortable glow; he shook his head to clear himself of the feeling. "Where did you get that thing?" he demanded. 'I had ordered that every one of those were to be destroyed! You ugly old hag! You and that thing are not welcome!" The hag got a sad look on her face and cradled the rose like a small child. "Don't be deceived by outer appearances, for beauty is found within." she said slowly. "Please take my gift, for I am cold and hungry." She held out the rose again. Sultan whined at the prince, he smelled magic and figured that he needed to accept that rose before something happened.

Cardell growled and reached for his sword, swinging it to cut the rose in two. Mrs. Potts ran towards him, shouting for him to stop, when suddenly it was if time stood still. She felt as though she were frozen, only able to watch as the rain seemed to melt away the hag's appearance, and then Cardell could see the beautiful woman that Mrs. Potts had seen in the mirror. The prince dropped to his knees, begging for forgiveness from the woman, but she would hear none of it. "I see that there is no love or kindness in your heart anymore! I had come bearing a gift of this everlasting rose, filled with memories of your parents. But instead I will leave you with nothing but your death!" she cried.

"Please," prayed Mrs. Potts silently. "I still believe in him, there is still some goodness in his heart but he has yet to find it" The Enchantress looked at the woman frozen in front of her. A small tear fell down Mrs. Potts' cheek. "You really think that?" Mrs. Potts heard the woman say in her mind. "Yes!" answered Mrs. Potts silently.

The enchantress looked down at the prince, who was still kneeling on the ground. "What can I do?" murmured the enchantress. The prince needed help. Suddenly, she had an idea. "Fine!" She bent down and picked up the rose. 'This Rose will bloom until your twenty fifth birthday. If you can learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal falls than the curse will be broken. If not, you will die!"

The prince looked up at her. "What is the curse?" he asked. "To find your true self." she answered. Suddenly, a mirror appeared in the prince's hand. 'Look in the mirror. Your true self will be reflected back at you.' Cardell looked in the mirror and gasped in shock. "What is this?" he started to say but he fell to the ground as a wave of pain over came him. He felt as if he was being torn apart.

The enchantress looked down at him with a sad smile. "No one will remember you or this castle or anything associated with it after your parents were killed, and your servants who were nothing more than objects to you will be nothing more than that." She waved her hand and then everyone in the castle went into a deep sleep, except for the prince. Crying out in pain, the prince watched his arms grow dark brown fur. "No!" he cried out. He felt his jaw growing and new teeth come in. "Please.. Have.. Mercy!" he cried, and then he passed out. The enchantress moved him to his room with a nod and left the castle, praying that she was right in her decision.

Cardell woke up the next morning in his room. When he saw himself in the mirror in his room he broke it into a million pieces and howled in despair. He stopped when he noticed a light coming from a corner in his room. He discovered the rose and mirror on a table. He picked up a note that was on the Mirror and read it.

_This mirror is magic and will let you see anything that you desire, and remember, no matter how horrible it may seem, to believe. Glinda_

The next few hours held many shocks for Cardell and his servants. He soon demanded that no one would mention his name and he destroyed every picture of him that he could find. He would not let anyone or thing near him except for the Sultan, who had been turned into a footstool. He claimed that it was because he simply couldn't tell the difference between it and the real ones unless it was moving. Though honestly it was because it could make him give a small laugh once in a while with its antics.

As the months passed he spent more and more time by himself and banished the dog to the library, and ordered the servants to stay away from the west wing of the castle. Truly alone now in his small world he became what he always was, a beast. He lost all hope for how could he get a girl to love him and how could he love her in return. He looked at himself in the magic mirror, murmuring to himself. 'Who could ever learn to love a beast?'

0ooooooooooooo0

Suddenly the phone rings, Melanie runs to pick it up ignoring the evil looks from Asahi, Shanley, Christa, And Kat.

"Hello?" Melanie answers "Oh, ok, sure I will watch her for the weekend" While Melanie is on the phone Christa looks at Asahi, "Asahi? What does Cardell mean?" she asks. "Uncertain." Asahi replies. "You would think that Mel would be kind enough to turn the phone off." Grumbles Shanley.

"Guess what guys!" Melanie calls "Sissy is coming over tonight and she will be spending the weekend. " Mel then looked at Shanley and Asahi "You two please go and play with Christa and Kat outside. Nicely!" she ordered. Shanley gave a grimace and stopping at the door she called out to the two young pups "Come on guy's let's go hide-and-not-seek!" And with that all three are out the door before Melanie could stop them. Sighing she cleans up the house to get everything ready.

_A/N: this is from the old story;_

_TrudiRose I really like the chapter with the Enchantress! Very nice original  
details: the rose reminding the prince of his mother; the Enchantress  
originally planning to simply kill him, but Mrs. Potts' pleading that he  
does have good inside changing her mind; the idea that the curse is "To  
find your true self." Very nice! **Graci! any nice things are always appreciated :)**_


	4. Biographies and phone calls

**and who knows maybe you are wondering who these guy's are, well here is a small bio on them:**

First is me Mel, I am the unofficial typer and please don't judge me on my spelling and grammar errors, also I am the only human story teller. Asahi starts the story to help me out because the dogs tend to argue to much sometimes and it can stop me from doing my work. My favorite shows are "Will and Grace" and The "Anne of green Gables" series

Second is Asahi the Japanese chin and my first "Child". She is very prim and proper but a true food hog. she bosses everyone else around and is the brains of the 4 dog group. Asahi tell's the story and loves to watch "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Wiz".

Third is Shanley the Scottish terrier, she has a true warrior spirit hence the nickname of Reese ( which means firery). she speaks her mind and loves to play pranks on everyone. Sometimes she seems really mean but she isn't all that bad. The "Youngsters" just get on her nerves some the time and she want's to get rid of them for a while. But she would never really put them in harms way. "The Apprentice" and "The Grinch" are her favorite's

Fourth is Christa-Bell the Yorkshire terrier. While she looks like a Yorkie she sure doesn't act like one! the others have nicknamed her "Jane of the Jungle" because she is so wild. Christa doesn't say much because she is to busy running all over the place(her claim to fame is that she can bounce off walls!) Also she will eat anything her favorite things to watch is "Survivor", and "The Princes Bride"

The fifth and last is Katherine aka Kit Kat the Chinese crested. Kat is the baby of the group and is usually all sunshine and rainbows. she doesn't say much because she is very shy but loves to play with her next door neighbor "Sissy". She wants to be like Asahi when she grows up.

**_That evening_**

Everyone is sitting in the living room and Sissy is telling Melanie about the adventures she had during the afternoon. "And Shanley made us play Lassie, you see she was Lassie, and we had to climb into the ditch and she had to find Timmy to tell him that we where trapped. But she never came back. Kat and me got tired of watching Christa trying to eat bugs so we got out. When we found Shanley she told us that she forgot that she didn't know anyone named Timmy, and that she wasn't allowed to talk to strangers." As Sissy finishes her tale the phone rings

Melanie: "Hello?"

Voice: "Hello?"

Melanie: "Yes?"

Voice: "Who is this?"

Melanie: "Who are you trying to reach?"

Voice: "I don't know."

Melanie: "I think you have the wrong number."

Voice: "Do I?"

Melanie: "It happens. Take it easy."

"Who was that?" Asahi asks. "someone who was completly clueless," answers Melanie.

Asahi starts to laugh and beckons Shanley who comes over to her "Shanley," she whispers "I have a Show to do in a few weeks, do you think you could take over the story for me?"

"I'll think about it." She reples.

Asahi nodds her head and calles out to the others,"Come on everyone and ill tell you some more of the story!" and everyone begins to gather around her


	5. How different they find me!

_Trudi for her never ending knowledge! Graci!_

_disclamer: Hey guess what! I dont own Beauty and the beast and I hate writing these disclamers! isn't that the coolest!_

**How different they find me!**

Nine years had passed since Cardell and his servants were placed under the strange enchantment. Sometimes he would look out past the forest that surrounded the castle, at the village nestled in the valley of the mountains and wonder.

"Cozette," called Belle as she stepped out of her cottage where she lived with her father. "I'm going to the bookseller's. Do you want to join me?" she continued. Cozette, Belle's dog, jumped off the window seat where she spent most of the day lounging. She walked over to her mistress, her tail wagging. Bell laughed. The Japanese spaniel had been a gift from her father, Maurice, for her 18th birthday about a year earlier. The little black and white dog proved to be great company since her father had been too busy lately to spend much time with her.

Maurice used to be well known for his famous "rose clocks" which were made with incredible precision and skill, but the part that gained the most recognition was the outside of the clocks. Her mother, Rose, carved designs on the clocks with painstaking care. Sadly about nine years ago Belle and her mother got really sick with scarlet fever. Due to her father's dedicated care, Belle survived, but sadly her mother was not as lucky. About three years ago they moved to this village from Paris. Belle missed the sights of the glamorous city, especially Notre Dame. And spoke of them often to Cozette. Of course now her father's days were spent inventing things for various fairs and shows, when he wasn't fixing clocks and such for the townsfolk

Walking down the path to the village, Cozette by her side, Belle mused to herself about the sameness of the town and its people in their daily life. "Bonjour, monsieur," she greeted the baker, but as usual he was too busy to pay much attention to her in his morning rush. Belle looked down at Cozette, shrugged and continued her walk. "I hope that Gaston isn't in town today," Belle whispered to Cozette.

Cozette barked in agreement. She thought that he was a big jerk and, like Belle, could not understand why everyone just worshiped the ground that man walked on. Then again, his dog, Gage, wasn't any better.

"Why hello, beautiful," she heard a voice purr behind her. "S_peak of the devil_," she thought as she turned around. In front of her now stood Gage, Gaston's prized 3 yr old bloodhound. The Liver and Tan dog was actually small as Bloodhounds went but what he lacked in size he made up for in charisma all the female dogs in the village went crazy over him. "_Like owner like pet_" she thought as she forced a smile.

"Bonjour Monsieur Gage," she greeted him politely. "And what are you doing in town on a lovely day like this? I figured that you would be in the woods with your master."

Gage chuckled. "Why cherie, I decided to let René have all the fun," He replied referring to LeFous 5 year old clumber spaniel "He is so much better at all the dirty work. Anyway, I had a feeling that Belle would come into town today, and I must talk to you."

Cozette gave him a questioning look. "Why ever would you want to cut short a hunt just to talk to me?" she asked.

Gage sat down. "I have been thinking: out of all the females in this village you are by far the prettiest and truly unique one of all. So I have decided to give you the honor of mating with me," he said matter-of-factly.

Cozette stared up at him in disbelief. "_Is he insane?_" She thought.

Gage mistook her look for one of pleased shock. "Of course, don't misunderstand- it is the principle of the thing you know. It's all a matter of Genetics - love has nothing to do with it. You and me... well, my dear we will have the best puppies ever," he finished with a wag of his tail.

Before Cozette had time to reply to his so-called offer, a beagle ran up to Gage. "Sir," it began, "Your master Gaston is looking for you and René --"

Gage interrupted the dog. "René is an idiot, I know." He turned to Cozette "Think on it, won't you, my dear?" and with a bow, he trotted off to the woods.

"_I simply can't believe it_, I must speak to René and hope he can talk some sense into him," Cozette thought as she ran off to catch up to Belle, who had been in the bookseller's.

As Cozette walked into the store she looked around. At first she hadn't liked the bookstore since that one time she had an accident on a book in there. She snorted. Paper training was a funny thing in her opinion, and to her, paper was paper. She looked up at Belle, who was describing her favorite story to Reynard, the bookseller, who was enthralled as always. He gave Cozette a nod as she walked in and she wagged her tail in response. "A prince in disguise," Belle finished with a dramatic flourish.

Reynard laughed, throwing Cozette a bone. "If you like it all that much, it's yours," he said, chuckling.

Belle was shocked; this book was very expensive. "But Sir!" she protested.

"I insist," he said. "Your father helped me with that old cuckoo clock of my great-grandmother's so trust me, it is the least I can do."

"Thank you so very much," Belle said happily as she left the store, nose in her book. Cozette bowed at the man in thanks for the bone. Reynard bowed in response and chuckled at the pair going down the street, Belle with her nose in the book and Cozette tugging her out of harm's way.

Cozette sighed to herself as she tugged on Belle's dress to keep her from falling in a mud puddle. Though she would rather have been burying her new bone somewhere, it gave her an excuse to ignore the stares from the other dogs in the village. Belle reached her favorite place to read in the village, the fountain, and continued to read. Cozette chased away the sheep that were trying to eat her mistress's book and lay down at Belle's feet. She was exhausted, mentality and physically. To tired to even chew on her bone, she listened to Belle read a poem from the book out loud.

"In a different place

In a different time

Different people around me

I would like to know of their different world

And how different they find me"

Suddenly a gunshot echoed overhead and Cozette saw a duck fall out of the sky towards the other side of the village. "_Oh no,_" moaned Cozette. That could mean only one thing: that oaf Gaston was in town. "_First I had to deal with his dog, and now him!"_ She jumped up and started to tug at Belle's dress, growling urgently. "_Come on! Before he shows up!"_ she whined when Belle finally looked up. "Time to go huh?" said Belle cheerily, having not heard the gunshot.

"_Sure, whatever, let's go before Gaston threatens to stuff me again, or worse Gage shares more about his stupid visions of Grandeur with me. "_Cozette thought. There were many times when she wished that Belle could understand her and this was one of them.

They were almost out of town when Gaston caught up with them. "Why hello, Belle," he greeted her. Cozette studied him. He was about 6' 5 and 250 lbs, and built like a lumberjack. His face sported a strong chiseled chin and his long black hair was tied back with a ribbon. True he was handsome, but in her opinion that thought was lost as soon as he opened his mouth. Then to her left she heard the sound of the three most persistent members of the "I Love Gaston" Fan Club: Corise, wearing red as always, Blondel, in yellow, and Alaina, looking pretty in green. "He's so handsome!" Blondel was gushing to the others. "Yeah, I worship the ground that man walks on," added Alaina

"_He's so handsome! Excuse me while I barf,_" mocked Cozette. "_I worship Gaston, especially the quicksand he walks on!"_ she continued. She moved a towards Gaston's lackey Lefou who was carrying all the animals that the two had killed that day. "_Maybe there is a pheasant in there,_ "she thought to herself. _"I love pheasant._" Carefully, making sure that LeFou's attention was focused on the conversation, she crept over to the pile. Then a shadow passed over her, looking up she saw René. "Bonjiour René" she greeted the clumber spaniel with an innocent smile. René was LeFou's dog and like her was somewhat of a misfit of the village, due to being an odd breed

"Bonjiour Cozette, I hope your day is going well." He replied with a nod. Actually out of all the dogs in the village he was her only friend. And in all honesty a better tracker than Gage, she just could not understand why he let Gage have all the glory.

"Well actually, I wanted to speak to you about Gage," she began René groaned. "Don't tell me he has started that ignorant mess again" "I wouldn't worry about it, he has the attention span of a bird and will forget about it soon" he added encouragely. "Cozette started to give thanks when she heard Gage give a howl form the other side of the village. "Goodbye me dear, I'm afraid that I am being paged, and good luck with that pheasant" he winked and slowly trotted off. Rene gone she started to study the situation surrounding her, and her bird.

"How do you read this stuff? There's no pictures," Gaston was asking Belle while holding the book sideways. "_There's no pinups in it, you dummy,_" Cozette thought, looking up. Suddenly Gaston threw the book into a mud puddle and Belle went to retrieve it. Cozette growled at him. Lefou noticed her getting too close to the _pheasant_ that they had gotten that day, and made to kick at her. She ran behind Belle, sorry that she hadn't grabbed the bird in time.

"_I don't care if his father was some famous knight! He is just so stupid! And Gage isn't any better_" she thought as she looked up at Gaston who was talking." Soon she starts getting ideas, and thinking," Gaston said to Belle. "_Something you probably never do,_" thought Cozette.

Belle gave him a look that could have peeled wallpaper." Gaston, you are positively primeval," she said, hoping to insult him enough so he would leave her be.

Gaston stopped flexing for a moment. "Why, thank you, Belle," he said with a genuine smile. Cozette gave a laughing bark. "Whadda you say we take a walk over to the tavern and take a look at my trophies?" Gaston said. Then looking down at Cozette, who was making a gagging sound, he muttered under his breath, "And I can get your little gremlin there stuffed."

Belle looked over at the blonde girls and willed them to come over and distract him. "Gaston, please, I can't. I have to get home to help my father."

Lefou threw down the pile of dead animals he was carrying and laughed. "That crazy old loon! He needs all the help he can get!" he chortled. Personally he could not understand what Gaston saw in Belle. Sure she was pretty and all, but all she cared about were books. Also that dog of hers was always stealing their dead animals when Gaston was too busy mooning over Belle to notice.

Cozette made to bite at LeFou for his insult, but Belle snatched her up and put her in the basket. "Don't talk about my father that way!" she demanded. Gaston knocked Lefou down. "Yeah, don't talk about her father that way!" he echoed. "Even if it's true," he added to himself.

Suddenly an explosion came from the direction of the cottage. "Oh no!" Belle gasped as she ran towards the house, Gaston and Lefou's laughter following them.

"I hope he's ok," Belle panted as they reached the yard. "_Me too,_" thought Cozette. The smoke was super thick when they got to the cellar door. Bell walked in coughing only to discover..

Ring.

"Melanie, turn the dumb phone off!" they shout. "It's ok," Asahi admits, "I have to get a drink of water anyway," and she goes off to get some.

"What does the name Cozette mean?" asks Sissy when Asahi gets back. "Little pet," Asahi answers as she takes a deep breath and continues with her story.

"Wait a minute there," interrupts Shanley. "How did Belle get a Japanese Chin?" Asahi gives her a frustrated look. "Her father got the dog at one of the fairs that he went to. Port cities would always be filled with odd things, "she finishes.

"Makes sense to me, "mutters Melanie. "Any other questions?" Asahi asks. Hearing no response, Asahi continues her story.

_A/N from the old story:_

_BelleEve Hmm...ok. I like the little embellishments with the dog (thanks for the  
pics, by the way...they are very cute dogs!), and the fact that Belle  
had a dog hanging around with her. However, this scene does just seem to  
have been lifted from the movie, with not much of...you know...your own  
take on it, which is what I think retellings are all about. I mean,  
you've obviously got a good imagination, but you haven't really used it  
here. But, you know, that's just my opinion, I still think this fic is  
great. Keep it up! **Well Now that the story is going along andI finaly have made a final decision on the ending , YAY, I promise it to be very original ;)**_

_mischievousmofo hmm. okay, I was going to ask why Belle had a Japanese spaniel, in  
France, in the 1700s. Then I did some research and found out that they were  
introduced to the courts of Europe in the 1700s. So, kudos to you for  
making me go do research. But at the same time, I have to wonder how Belle (well, really,  
Maurice) came by such an unusual pet in her small, provincial town. Maybe a  
more common breed would be appropriate? A mutt? Hybrid vigor and all  
that, you know. **I have now made Asahi answer that question but if your wondering he did go to fairs all the time and port towns held many odd and unique things. Due to his clocks Maurice was not poor by any means. He lived quite comfortably and knew his daughter would enjoy an dog that was as unique as she was. :)**_


	6. Do you think I'm odd?

_The movie isnt owned by me but... I'd like to own it, own it, I'd like to own it, own it,though I'dlike to OWN IT!" (Madagascar dance, wich I don't own either)_

**Do you think I'm odd?"**

Belle and Cozette entered the smoke-filled cellar. "Papa!" she called out worriedly. Suddenly Cozette barked. Belle turned and saw Maurice getting up from the corner that the explosion had knocked him into. He started to mutter to himself about what had gone wrong, oblivious to their presence.

"Doggone it! What went wrong this time?" he cried out in frustration. Suddenly noticing Belle and Cozette's appearance he walked over to them grumbling. "I'm just about to give up on this hunk of junk!" he declared. As Belle tried to console him, Cozette started to sniff around the machine. Sometimes she could spot a bolt or such that needed to be tightened. Suddenly she saw a bolt laying on the ground and the hole that it obviously belonged in. "_Hey_," thought Cozette "_I think I found the problem._" She picked up the bolt and brought it over to Maurice.

"I mean it this time!" Maurice was saying as he absentmindedly reached down to pick up the bolt that Cozette had placed at his feet. "I'll never get this thing to work," he continued.

Belle smiled. "Yes you will," she started." And you'll win first prize at the fair tomorrow." she added encouragebly.

Cozette looked up from the toolbox that she was currently digging in and saw that Maurice didn't look very convinced. "Father, I think that the bolt in your hand may have fell off the machine," Belle pointed out, trying to give him a hint.

Maurice suddenly noticed the bolt in his hand. "Oh my! No wonder!" he declared. And with that he practically dove under the machine talking about the part's importance animatedly.

Cozette yawned and brought over the tool that he was going to need. "Belle," started Maurice." Can you hand me that dog-legged-"He stopped as Cozette dropped it in his lap. "Well, thank you, Georgette. Sometimes I think that she knows as much as I do about all of this," he said, chuckling. Belle stifled a laugh at the look on Cozettes face. "_I know how to hide your tools for a week,_" Cozette thought to herself. She really couldn't understand why he could never remember her name.

With an aggravated snort, she went back to sniffing around the room looking for some food that Maurice might have dropped.

Belle started to tell him about her trip into town that day. Belle looked at the book that she had been given and remembered what Gaston had said. "Papa? Do you think I'm odd?" she asked. Cozette looked up from the sandwich crust she had been sniffing at, giving Belle a shocked look.

"My daughter odd? Where would you get an idea like that?" Maurice asked in disbelief, starting to slide out from under the machine. Belle looked at the book again. "I just don't feel like I fit in here. Except for Reynard there's no one I can really talk to," she said sadly. Cozette walked over to her mistress and gave her an encouraging wag.

"What about Gaston? He's a handsome fellow, and he did help us make sure that we had enough food to get through the winter," Maurice suggested.

Belle had forgotten all about that. True -when she thought about it, Gaston did have his good moments. When she had first moved here she did have a small crush on him, but then again they were so different from each other. "He's handsome all right, but I had to go to the huntsman ball with him that one time, and he was so conceited and rude to everyone there." Belle remembered the event only too well. She had fallen asleep when he started his speech about all the animals he had killed that year, and no one even noticed. "Oh papa, he's not for me," she finished.

"_Well his dog isn't much better, and does he even know what genetics are?_" Cozette thought with a snort Like Belle she knew what it was like to be different because of her looks and size, plus the fact that Cozette could read a little didn't help either. The other dogs just laughed at her when they weren't ignoring her. Gage and René were the only ones who ever paid her any attention. Though she preferred that Gage ignored her also. In a village of tall sleek hunting dogs it was hard to be accepted.

Cozette brought Maurice a rag to wipe his hands on. "That's about done it. Let's see what the old girl can do," he said, starting the machine up. To his surprise and happiness it worked. "Hitch up Philippe girl, I'm off to the fair," he said when suddenly, WHAM! He got hit over the head with a piece of wood.

Belle started to help him up. " Are you all right?" she asked worriedly. Maurice slowly got up and went to turn the machine off. "Right as rain and fit as a fiddle!" he declared, walking out of the cellar rather dizzily.

After an hour or so of packing and such, Maurice was on his way. "Goodbye and good luck papa," called Belle.

"Take care of him Philippe," barked Cozette. _"I think that he might have a mild concussion!"_ she added. Philippe neighed in agreement.

," barked Cozette. she added. Philippe neighed in agreement. 

"Goodbye Belle, and take care of everything while I'm gone." Maurice called out as he set off for the fair, and hopefully a new beginning for him and Belle.

Belle and Cozette watched Maurice disappear into the forest. "I think I'll read a bit before supper, "Belle said to herself as she started for the house. Cozette felt a strong breeze rush over her and sniffed it. "_Humm_," she thought, "_that is odd. Why do I smell roses? There is not one bush around for miles_." She shrugged and walked over to the hen house. Maybe she could snatch some eggs from the hens so that she and Belle could have an omelet for supper. She stopped at the entrance to the hen house to pick up the egg basket that Belle always left there. So that she could carry the eggs carefully to the house, if the crazy hens didn't attack her first.

At that same moment Belle was reading to herself, looking up she pondered the meaning of the words.

"Here I am alone,

Though it feels the same,

I don't know where I'm going,

I'm here on my own,

and it's not a game

and a strange wind is blowing"

She looked over at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "I wish I knew who it was made for." she thought. The clock was a mystery and also the last one her mother had ever worked on. The clock featured many wonderful and fantastic scenes: sea monsters, pirate ships, castles, unicorns, and one word surrounded by roses: "Believe". It was obvious that this was made for a very important person, but her father had forgotten who had ordered it to be made, and no one ever came to retrieve it. She smiled softly. When she was younger she used to imagine who that person must have been. A member of nobility, a knight? She chuckled to herself, remembering how she had hoped that the owner was going to come in one day and take her on many wonderful adventures, like those on the clock.


	7. Get me to the church on time!

_I don't own Beauty and the Beast and i'm very happy! cause I couldn't have paid for it to have been made:)_

**Just get me to the church on time!**

Meanwhile, in the village...

Gaston and LeFou were sitting in the tavern talking to each other with their dogs at their feet. Well, actually Gaston was doing all the talking. "Belle is the perfect girl for me! Why doesn't she understand that?"

LeFou looked up from his drink. "I just don't understand what he sees in her," he muttered to René who was lying at his side. Out loud, he said, "Gaston, what about one of the other girls? Like Alaina - she is a really good cook. And Blondell can sew just about anything. And that Corise. Uh well, I never knew someone who could play Greensleeves on a bunch of water glasses," LeFou said. Gaston glared at him. "Then again Belle is the perfect girl," he added hastily.

"If you were a librarian," muttered Gage. Belle was a nice girl and all but the one time that she and Gaston had gone out was a disaster. Belle had fallen asleep during Gaston's riveting speech! Of course no one else noticed but him, and René had thought it was funny!

"Hey there, Gaston," greeted André. "Well, it's fixing to be time for the village's annual fall festival and you know what that means." added the towns hat maker, and play director.

"Sure I do," said Gaston. "You will be holding auditions for the play that will be featured this year."

LeFou looked at André. "What will it be this year?" he asked. Rene looked up in interest

André smiled. "This weird old guy wandered into town the other day and he had some plays with him, said his name was Merlin are some such. Anyway, he suggested this one." Said André, handing a stack of bound papers to him. "I haven't had the chance to read over it much."

"My Fair Lady," murmured Gaston, reading the title as he flipped through the pages. Suddenly he jumped out of his chair. "That's it! Tomorrow I'll surprise Belle with a wedding," he said, tossing the papers to André, who made to catch them, but he stumbled and watched them go into the fire. "Oh well," André muttered. "I guess we will do St. George and the Dragon again this year."

LeFou looked at Gaston in shock. "Huh? Why not flowers or something like that? Why a whole wedding?" René snorted in agreement

Gaston looked at him as though he was an idiot. "Because it's perfect! Anyone can give her flowers, but how many people could give her a whole wedding?" he explained. He called over to the bartender, "Hey Jacques, spread the word! I'm going to get married to the most beautiful woman in the whole village tomorrow morning!" Everyone in the whole tavern called out their congratulations.

Gage looked at René "Not a bad idea huh?" he asked wagging his approval. René got up and walked out the door, shaking his head. "And just were do you think your going?" Gage demanded. René looked back towards the tavern. "For a walk, one does get tired of watching their owners get into a drunken stupor once in a while."

The bloodhound looked down at him and gave a menacing growl "Stay away from her René, She's out of your league," He chuckled "Any Female here is out of your league, Cozette is mine! And if you don't watch yourself... Well let's just say that even the best trackers in the world wouldn't be able to find you!" and with a warning growl he turned and walked back towards the tavern, after all, humans were pretty funny when they had to much to drink.

René gave a quick glance to make sure no one was around and continued towards his destination, Gaston was cooking up a plan and Cozette would want to know.

"Come on, boys, There's only a few hours of daylight left," Gaston was calling out as Gage walked back in ""Let's get to it! There are flowers and other such all over this village and we have to track them down in just a few hours!" Everyone started to run out of the tavern. They had a wedding to help plan

LeFou looked at Gaston and shook his head in disbelief "This is not going to end well," he muttered.

"A few hours left until what?" asked Corise who had been in the back getting some more ale while Gaston had made his announcement.

"Tomorrow," started Gaston, "I'm getting married in the morning! Ding dong the bells are gonna chime" he sang, dancing Corise around the room. "Pull out the stopper! Let's have a whopper! But get me to the church on time!" He danced out of the tavern and headed to the dressmakers shop, with Gage, LeFou, and Corise following him.

Gaston burst into Alaina's shop. "I gotta be there in the morning, spruced up and looking mighty fine," he told her with a wink. Blondell then ran in having heard Gaston's singing. Gaston gave them a flirtatious wink and smile. "Girls, come and kiss me, show me you'll miss me. But get me to the church on time!" he continued, dancing out of the store to the street where most of the villagers were running around trying to help Gaston with his plan.

"But Gaston," panted Lefou, who had been following him. "What if she doesn't want to get married in the church tomorrow or at all? She does do things a bit differently from everybody else here Gaston stopped and looked at him dumb founded. Gage growled at LeFou for questioning his owner's judgment. "You know, you're right," he said. Lefou started to smile.

"We'll get married in her front yard!" Gaston declared. Lefou's jaw hit the floor as he watched Gaston take off again, going to the pastor's home. After he took care of all the details for the ceremony the next day he walked out. "If I am dancing roll up the floor. If I am whistling, push me out the door."

This went on well into the night. Finally, when everything was done, Gaston, LeFou, and some other friends were walking to their respective homes. Gaston was still singing, much to LeFou's annoyance. "Starlight is fading home to bed now, morning will soon be smearing up the sky," Gaston declared to his friends as he reached the fork of the road that led to his and Lefou's homes.

"Good luck, old chum," called out Jacques and the others as they took the opposite road to their homes. Gaston walked on still humming to himself. When they reached his home, Gaston turned to LeFou. "Make sure you get me up on time!" he demanded. Gage barked the same message to René who had joined them a few minuets ago

"Okay," muttered LeFou. He looked down at René who was whining

"For goodness sake, get me to her house on time!" Gaston sang out, slamming the door shut.

Lefou continued the short walk to his own home. "This is going to be interesting," he said to René patting him on the head "_You got that right," _thought René

"What in the world?" asks Sissy, looking at Asahi in shocked disbelief

"Gaston can't be running around singing," declares Christa.

"I don't know, I kinda liked it. After all humans do weird things when they have had to much alcohol, besides," Shanley stops and looks at Asahi and Kat with a wink. Then all three say in unison "It's just a story!"


	8. Nothing could be worse than the wolves!

_Grass is green, clouds are white, I don't own B&tB and that is my plight. I sure hope that my poem sounded alright..._

**Meanwhile in a forest somewhere in France.**

Maurice looked around and studied his surroundings. "We should be there by now," he muttered. "I was sure that we were supposed to go left after we passed the rock that looked like a log. At least that is what I think the old woman said. Hmmmm,maybe she said it was the log that looks like ithas two frogs sitting on it?" he glanced down at his messy handwriting."No, the log with the two frogs is after I pass the tree stump with 27 rings." he mumbled.

Philippe nickered anxiously. Maurice wanted to take a new shortcut to the main road and things were not going well in his opinion. The sun was setting and Philippe knew the wolves that lived in this forest were always hungry. Suddenly they came up to a faded old signpost. "Here we are, this must be on the map somewhere,"Maurice said. But try as he might Maurice could not make out was written on it. While he tried to make out the letters,Philippe studied thetwo paths in front of them. The first one had some sunlight still glittering through the trees while the other path seemed to have not seen the sun in years. Deciding that Maurice was not going to make a decision anytime soon,the horse turned towards the brighter of the two paths.

"Wait a minute, let's go this way," said Maurice tugging the horse towards the opposite path. Philippe looked at the path. It was dark and didn't look very inviting. "_You have got to be kidding_", the horse thought. He started for the other path again. But again, Maurice tugged him the other way.

"Come on, Philippe it's bound to be another short cut,"Maurice explained. Philippe snorted."_Yep, Cozette was right, he definitely got a concussion from getting hit on the head,_"he thought, as he nervously looked around. The deeper the pair went into the woods, the darker and spookier it got. Suddenly Philippe thought he saw a wolf. Nickering in alarm he started to back up towards the fork. "_I don't care what he says, we are going the other way! It WON'T do us any good if we arrive there dead,_" he thought.

"This can't be right," muttered Maurice,oblivious to the wolf howling. "Where have you taken us, Philippe?" he demanded. "_What?_" thought Philippe. "_Oh man, when and if we get out of this I'm gonna get Cozette to hide your tools for a month_!" While thinking this, Philippe unknowingly backed up against a tree, and its inhabitants were nottoo batty about the idea.

"Whoa boy!" cried out Maurice as the frightened horse bolted. "Look out!" he cried again as he realized that they were heading straight towards a cliff. Philippe stopped just in time. "Back up!" he ordered the horse. When Philippe got turned around Maurice got a good look at why the horse was so jumpy. They were surrounded by wolves! "Steady boy," he murmured,trying to think of what to do. "I wish that I hadn't forgotten my gun." Suddenly a wolf lunged at the pair, and Philippe reared back,unknowingly throwing off Maurice.

Maurice watched Philippe run off with a pack of snarling wolves at his hooves. Getting to his feet he tried to think of what to do.Then he heard the menacing growls of the pack of wolves returning for much easier prey. "_Oh no_!"he thought, and he took off down the path. "Please, Lord let there be a shack, avillage, anything up ahead,"he prayed. He was so intent on where the wolves were that he lost his footing and rolled down a hill. He thought that he was going to roll forever when suddenly SMACK! something broke his fall. He looked up. It was a gate.

"Thank you,"hesaidas he went to open it, but he discovered the gate to be locked. He looked up and saw the wolves at the top of the hill. "Help! Is someone there?" he cried out frantically. Suddenly the gate opened and he rolled in. After quickly getting his bearings he kicked the gate shut on a wolf who was just seconds away from following him in. He crawled back away from the gate staring at the bloodthirsty animals. Then with a shudder he realized what would have happened if he had been a few secondstoo late.

He got up and ran across the bridge in front of him. When he had to stop to catch his breath he looked up and gasped. In front of him was a castle. At one time it could have been quite magnificent but obviously time had not been kind to it. Gargoyles loomed at him from every angle. They seemed to be looking at him,demanding to know why someone had dared intrude upon their solitude. Yet it was if he had seen it before, maybe in a dream.

"What is a castle doing all the way out here and why does it look kind of familiar?" he asked himself over come with a feeling of deja vu. Quickly pushing the feeling away, he started for the castle. "Nothing could be worse than those wolves,"he reassured himself as he reached the door. He studied the door, and then with a deep breath he grasped the knocker, and gave it a good bang, hoping that he was correct in his assumption, that this was the better of the two choices.


	9. One day I'll fly away

_Beauty and the Beast or Mulan Rouge, I love them both but I don't own them, dudes._

**_One day I'll fly away_**

In the castle library, Sultan was dozing when he heard a loud banging sound. He looked up. "_What was that_?" he asked himself. Then he heard the sound again. _"The door! Someone is at the door!"_ Excited, he jumped up and ran out of the library.

"Who could it be?" Lumiere the candelabra asked, hopping towards the door.

"I don't know. But I think that we better take time to assess the situation before you start blabbing! Remember what happened to Lucille!" ordered Cogsworth the mantle clock, running after him.

"Well, I had better open the door before the Master wakes up," Lumiere replied coolly, and with that he undid the lock. Quickly he jumped onto the table that was beside the door and was joined by Cogsworth. They watched as Maurice squeezed in and looked around.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing. Maurice squinted his eyes in the darkness and gasped. The castle seemed deserted but at one time it must have been quite exquisite. The entrance was somewhat bare; the only piece of furniture he really noticed was a table right beside the door, with a candelabra and a mantle clock. He suddenly shivered. It was almost as cold inside the castle as it was outside, but a lot drier.

On the table Lumiere turned to Cogsworth when Maurice turned his back."Poor fellow, he must have gotten lost in the woods," he muttered a little too loudly. Maurice turned around looking for the sound.

" Keep quiet," hissed Cogsworth.

"Is someone there?" Maurice asked. "I've lost my horse and I need a place to stay for the night."

Lumiere gave Cogsworth a pleading look. "Oh Cogsworth, have a heart," then ignoring the clock's efforts to hush him up,he called out to Maurice, "Of course you are welcome here!"

"As long as the master doesn't find out," Cogsworth muttered.

Maurice turned around and picked up the candelabra on the table to get a better look around. "Who said that?" Maurice asked. "Over here," the voice called out and Maurice felt a tap on his head. He looked closer at the object in his hand. "Allo!" it said.

Maurice dropped it in shock and watched amazed as it started to move. "Belle must have been right," he muttered. "I did hit my head too hard." Then the mantle clock jumped off the table and walked over to the candelabra, talking.

"Well, now you've done it, Lumiere ! Splendid, just peachy!" it fussed.

Maurice picked the clock up marveling over it. "How is this accomplished? I built clocks for twenty years and I've never seen anything like this."

Lumiere chuckled quietly as Cogsworth began to fuss at the visitor. "Put me down at once! Cogsworth demanded

Maurice began to apologize. "I'm, sorry but I've never seen a talking clock before." He suddenly sneezed and began to shiver again. Much to Cogswoth's dismay Lumiere began persuading the gentleman to go into the sitting room where there was a cozy fire burning.

"No! " cried Cogsworth as he ran after them. "You know what the master will do if he finds him here!" Unnoticed by the group, a dark shadow moved upstairs.

"By the way, my name is Lumiere. That fussy overgrown pocket watch back there is Cogsworth," the cadelabra introduced himself to Maurice.

"I'm Maurice," the older man replied as he settled down in a very comfortable red chair.

"Not the master's chair!" screeched Cogsworth as he came into the room. Then he heard a yip as Sultan came bounding into the room

Sultan ran over to the chair barking a mile a minute. When he reached his destination he stopped and stared at Maurice. "_Oh great, it's just some old guy_," he thought, then he sniffed "_that or a really ugly girl._" He gave a soft growl at the man. Lumiere snapped at him, "Sultan, behave yourself!" With a yip, Sultan went and did what a footstool did best, stand there and be bored out of his mind.

Cogsworth was still trying to get a handle on the situation at hand and was not being very successful at it. Sultan had to give a small bark of laughter when the tea trolley carrying Mrs. Potts, the teakettle, and her son Chip, the teacup, came into the room accidentally running over the clock.

"How about some tea?" asked Mrs. Potts warmly as she poured him a cup. "No tea!" interrupted Cogsworth. But everyone was laughing over Chips little jokes, ignoring the clock.

Then a sudden gust of wind entered the room and blew out all the candles and the fire so that the only light remaining in the room was from the embers and the hallway. Maurice shivered and felt another presence in the room, and whatever it was wasn't good, judging from the objects cowering in fear. He heard a voice growl, "There's a stranger here.".

In haste, the objects began to try to explain the situation, but the presence in the room roared and they became silent. "_I think I should have stayed out there with the wolves,_" Maurice thought with a shudder. He slowly turned to look over the edge of the chair in the direction that the objects were looking and gasped. In the darkness he couldn't make out much but what he could see terrified him. Horns of a demon, and the face to match. Teeth and claws sharper than any knives ever known by man. Small eyes that were so cold and full of hatred that he began to shake even more.

"What are you doing here?" it demanded. Startled, Maurice leaped out of the chair. "I got lost" he stammered, unable to take his eyes off the monster in front of him.

"What are you staring at?" it roared.

Maurice tried to move out of its path, towards the door. "Nothing," he said.

"So you've come to stare at the beast, have you?" it bellowed, moving to block his path again. Maurice gasped again as it stood up on its back legs. It was well over 6 ft tall and blocked all the light coming from the doorway.

"Please," Maurice begged. "I just needed a place to stay. The beast picked him up. "Oh, I'lll give you a place to stay all right!" and with that he picked him up and ran out of the room, slamming the door. Sultan gave a small whimper as the castle was filled with the sounds of the man's pleading. The objects turned to each other. What could they do to rescue this poor fellow?

After he locked the man in the tower, Cardell went to his room. He stood on the balcony and looked out over the valley, turning around when he heard a sound. It was only Sultan. He reached down to give the footstool a pat but it growled and backed up.

"I had to lock him up," Cardell said to the footstool. Though the statement was more to reasure himself than the footstool. "He would have told someone about us." He shivered slightly."I remember once when I visited my uncle's palace,there was a lion. Everyone poked and prodded at the beast. King of the jungle,my uncle called it. What do you think people would do to us, to me?" he growled.

Sultan whimpered. "Let the old man go, he's harmless," he thought, looking at the beast -no,not beast, prince -in front of him.

"You don't understand," Cardell growled."How could you? You're just a dog. But what about me? What am I,a man or a monster?" He turned and looked out into the woods."I don't even remember any more."He saw a night bird fly by and thought of a poem that he had once read that a very good friend had wrote, Lucille.

_"I follow the night  
Can't stand the light  
When will I begin  
To live again?  
What more could love do for me?  
When will love be through with me? _

One day I'll fly away  
Leave all this to yesterday  
Why live life from dream to dream?  
And dread the day  
When dreaming ends"

Sultan whined softly. He knew that his master didn't mean all the bad things he did. He just didn't understand. He looked up at Cardell, who was talking again.

"How much longer till this spell is made final. Huh! This cruel trick of fate." Cardell looked down at the paws that used to be hands, his hands. He remembered the look that the old man gave him when he saw him. "I'm nothing but an object of revulsion, a freak!" he roared out into the night, and ran out of the room to find something to take his mind off of his ever-dwindling humanity.

Sultan looked at the stars in the sky andprayed for his master. "Please, send someone. Someone who canbring out the prince that I know is inside, so we can be free of this curse." And with that he walked to the kitchen. Theold gentlemanmight be a prisoner,but he still needed to eat.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Who is Lucille?" Asks Kat when Asahi stops.

Asahi gives a smile and shakes her head, "Youll find out in due time, but I would remember that name if I were you. Now as for me I'm Going to bed." And with that she leaves the room and is shortly followed by the others.


	10. Imagine that!

_Beauty's a girl, the beast is a guy, i dont own the story but it made a cute rhyme!_

_A/N: You have no idea how long it took me to come up with P.A.R.I.S.A._

**Imagine that!**

A few days have passed and once again Melanie is working on bills, and once again, Asahi rescuses her with a few more chapters:

After working all night and most of the morning everything was finally ready for the wedding. The only thing left was for Gaston to show up and propose to Belle. "Here they come now!" called out a villager when he spotted Gaston, LeFou, and their dogs strolling down the road.

"Oh boy, Belle's gonna get the surprise of her life, huh?" LeFou chuckled.

René shook his head in disgust and groaned."_At least Cozette won't be surprised and do something stupid, though I would love to be a fly on the wall when Belle gives her response,_" he thought.

René looked at Gage who was walking next to him and heard him snort._"Why my human wants this girl in particular is beyond me,"_he muttered to René.

"Yep, this is her lucky day," agreed Gaston as they came to the house. He studied the setup in front of him. Perfect;everything was perfect. Just like him and his wife-to-be. "I'd like to thank you all for the work you have done, and of course coming to my wedding. Butnow it's time to propose to the bride," Gaston greeted everyone with a chuckle. The villagers laughed at his joke;who would refuse to marry Gaston? After a few last minute instructions,he walked over to the house.

Inside,Cozette had been watching the whole scene from her window seat and gave a snort. " _How can Belle not notice what is going on in her own front yard!_" she thought,turning to see what her mistress was doing. " _Of course, she's reading. What else would she be doing_?" she sighed and continued her watching.Gaston was coming to the house and she had promised Renéthatshe would stay put and not do anything.

There was a knock on the door and Belle looked up from the book she was reading."Now who could that be?" she muttered as she got up and walked over to the door.

As she looked through her fathers' who's-at-the-door invention,she saw it was Gaston and groaned. Looking at Cozette she whispered, "Do you think I could pretend that I'm just not here and get away with it?" Cozette wagged her tail in sympathy as Belle answered the door and Gaston rushed in.

"Gaston, what a surprise," greeted Belle. Cozette watched as he walked towards her.

"Isn't it though?" Gaston said,leaning into a pose on a dresser."You know, there's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes," he purred leaning towards her.

"I don't see why - all they would have to do is go over to Madame Rochelle's and have her make them a pair,"Belle replied sweetly,watching Gaston admire himself in the mirror and groaning inwardly when he actually started to pick his teeth. Finally it appeared that he liked what he saw and he continued.

"No,Belle, what I mean is that today is the day that your dreams come true," he said flashing his pearly whites. That always got the ladies to swoon.

"Are you going away on a hunt somewhere far away?" Belle asked with a hint of excitement in her voice, walking over the table to put up the book she was reading earlier.

Cozette watched Gaston follow her. "_He reminds me of a humongous bantam rooster in that getup,_" she thought as he strutted after Belle.

Gaston laughed. "Maybe after the honeymoon," he muttered,then out loud he said, "Here, picture this."He sat down,kicking his shoes off on the table."A small cabin in the woods, my latest kill roasting on the fire and my little wife, massaging my feet."Belle looked over at Cozette and held her nose while Gaston continued. "And the little ones sitting on the floor skinning a deer or such, while thehounds watch. We'll have six or seven,you know," he finished, jumping out of the chair.

"Hounds?"Belle asked.

"No, Belle! Strapping boys,like me,"he corrected her.

"Imagine that," she said walking to put up her book, wondering where he was going with all this, he certanlycouldn't want to marry her. Especialy since all the other girls in the whole village worshiped him. Who knows mabey this was his odd way of asking for advice on how to propose are something.

"I can! The cabin will be filled top to bottom with trophies.of courseof course,we certainly won't have any room for books, you realize. Anyway, what would the boys think when we have our weekly meetings of the hunters association, if my home was filled with such nonsense?" he finished.

"Poor girl," muttered Belle, thinking of having to deal with even one "little Gaston"

"And do you know who that girl is?" Gaston,asked interrupting her thoughts.

"Let me think," Belle replied. Suddenly she realized what he was hinting at and silently cursed herself for not catching on from the very begining. She turned around to find him looming over her.

"You,Belle," he growled huskily,leaning down to give her a kiss. She darted out of the way.

"_Come on, Belle think of something,_"Cozette whined,cursing herself for making that promise to René

Belle leaned up against the door. "Gaston, I,m speechless," she said sweetly as he crossed the room, like a hawk swooping down on a rabbit. "I really don't know what to say."

He pressed her against the door, his quarry was caught and he would be victorious."Say you'll marry me," he said as he leaned down to claim his prize.

Belle looked over at Cozette and blurted out,"I'm sorry Gaston."

He stopped and looked at her, confused. "Sorry about what?"

To his suprise,she began to cry "You see, if we get married I wouldn't have a place to hold my...um...P.A.R.I.S.A. meetings."

"Your what?" he asked,even more confused.

Belle looked over at Cozette again. "You know P.A.R.I.S.A. It's a brand new organization. It stands for People Against Rifles, Injuring, and Slaughtering Animals. So you see, if you married me,you would have to become a farmer,and could never hunt again and we would have to burn all your trophies."

Gaston stared at her in disbelief "Never.. Hunt. . Again. . Trophies. . Burnt,"he sputtered in shock. Belle opened the door, Loosing his balance, he fell off the porch into a mud hole. "Ouch" he cried as he felt his boots hit him on the head.

LeFou walked over, Gaston must have been so happy that he tripped in his excitment to come out and tell everyone the news

"So how did it go?" he asked.

Gaston stood up and picked LeFou off the ground. " I promise that Belle will be my wife, make no mistake about that!Parisor no Paris!" and with that he chunked him down and walked off with Gage by his side.

LeFou looked at René "What was he talking about? I thought he was going on a hunting trip with the boys instead of a honeymoon."he gotup to direct the cleaning up. Obviously there was not going to be a wedding today, and Gaston needed some time to cool off.

Inside the house Cozette was looking at Belle, who was laughing. "I know,but it was the best I could do at the moment.I guess that's what I get for paying more attention to what I just read, instead of what was going around.I wonder how long it will take him to realize that I made it up?" She looked out the door to make sure the coast was clear.

Cozette looked out the window. " _Man those villagers are fast,_" she thought. She jumped down and followed Belle outside. She just had to tell René what happened. As she ran off she heard Belle fuming.

"Can you believe it? Me! The wife of that boorish, brainless..".

**LATER THAT AFTERNOON**

"…Well, Gaston was so dumbfounded. Rene, you should have seen his face" Cozette laughed, " Never.. Hunt. . Again. . Trophies. . Burnt. It was so funny!" She looked up at her friend who was giving one of his smiles that seemed to always melt her heart.

_I can't believe this moment's come  
It's so incredible that we're alone_

René laughed as he listened to Cozette tell him about the proposal and the response it received. He was glad that Belle turned Gaston down; theidea of havingCozette living with Gage was horrible. The thought of having to listen to Gage gloat about "getting Cozette" would just be too much, she deserved so much better.

_There's so much to be said and done  
It's impossible not to be overcome_

"As I told you René, there was no need to worry about that ever happening," she said with a sniff. He meant well but sometimes he was so protective of her, almost as if he was her mate.

Now would you mind if I bared my soul  
If I came right out and said you're beautiful

René gave her a soft look "Just remember to watch out for Gaston and Gage okay, you are the closest thing to a friend I have here. And I care about you to much to have something happen to you." it was true, He did care for Cozette, you could almost say that he loved her. But with Gage around that feeling could never be expressed, not out loud anyway.

_Cuz there's something here I can't explain  
I feel I'm diving into driving rain_

"Cozette, my dear. When you well, settle down. I hope it is with someone you care for. True as dogs we don't chose many things but your mate well, that should be the product of some consideration," he said

_You get my senses running wild  
I can 't resist your sweet, sweet smile_

" René, Have you ever though of settling down," Cozette asked him. He shook his head. She gave him an exasperated look, "And here I thought you were proposing, and so much better than Gaston."

Rene chuckled somewhat forcibly, "At five years of age I am a confirmed old bachelor and quite happy to remain so. Anyway, with all the females in the village after me I just don't have the time." he teased

_I wish we could take this feeling 'n make it grow  
If I could I would never let it - never let it go_

"That's so funny it would make a cat laugh!" Cozette teased. They continued their walk in a comfortable silence.

She then noticed that it was starting to get dark and mentioned that she needed to get home. On the way René bent down and plucked a wild flower and put it in Cozette'sfur. She giggled, "Why thank you, I've never been given flowers before. How sweet of you René," she nuzzled him in thanks

_You give me something that I can believe in  
I can't explain the things that I'm feeling_

When they arrived all the barnyard animals where in an uproar, Belle had left on Philippe because Maurice was in some sort of danger and Cozette was to go to Reynards until Belle returned. With a worried glance and reassurances from the animals that they would be fine she and René walked towards the village.

_I've been waiting all my life  
To make this moment feel so right_

"I hope that she is alright," Cozette said almost to the point of tears. And René tried to comfort her and she moved closer to him, so that their bodies touched as they moved.

_The feel of you just fills the night  
So c'mon -just hold on tight_

Suddenly Cozette sniffed, she smelt roses again, turning to René she asked "Do you smell roses?" he sniffed and shook his head "I'm afraid not, it's getting dark. We had better hurry up," he added as they walked faster. "I hope that we don't run into Gage," he muttered as he silently wished that there walk would never end

- - - - - - - -

"How romantic!" Squels Christa bouncing up and down on the couch

"Hush!" snaps Shanley and with a greatful nod Asahi once again continues her tale

_A/N: last thing from the old story:_

_TrudiRose I think the rewrite works a LOT better! Making Belle's dog a character  
in her own right, a central part of the story rather than an observer,  
and bringing in a subplot about Gaston's dog, gives it a fun and  
original spin. And I love the fact that LeFou's dog is actually smart and is  
a good friend of Cozette. That's a good twist. It also makes more sense  
now that dogs are telling this story, because now it's a story ABOUT  
dogs - the BATB story from the dogs' POV. Looking forward to more. **Graci again, I always listen to advice, I just don't always take it. My downfall to be sure :). oddly enough my favorite dog in the story is a toss up between Sultan and Rene. Rene is "the gentelmans gentelman" while Sultan is more of the tourtured scholar, so to speak.**_


	11. What am I going to do with a girl?

_Belle's realy sweet and the castle is dreary, But I dont own it, at least not in theroy..._

**That evening in a forest somewhere in France**

Belle gasped as Philippe walked up to the gates of a castle. "_What an odd place to put a castle,_" she mused, but that thought was forgotten when she discovered her father's hat lying on the ground just inside the gate. She brought Philippe inside, tied him to the gate and ran inside the castle.

Philippe snorted uneasily as a pitchfork walked over to him. It had a kind voice, and although he did find it odd for a pitchfork to be walking and talking, he went willinglyas it started to lead him to a stable. He was a sensible horse, and certainly wasn't pigheaded enough to want tostay outside in the snow.

Inside the castle,Cogsworth was mocking Lumiere."Couldn't keep quiet, could we? No, we had to serve him tea! Here,monsieur,how about you sit in the master's chair! Here, pet the pooch!" he yelled at the candelabra.

Lumiere rolled his eyes. "I was trying to be hospitable," he muttered. So intent werethey on their discussion that they did not hear Belle come in, calling for her father. The other members of the castle had already settled in for the night.

"This place is incredible,"Belle said as she wandered around calling for her father. The place was definitely designed for royalty with ornate rugs and tapestries - the ones that weren't ruined, that is. When she walked past the room where Cogsworth and Lumiere werestill arguing animatedly, they stopped and stared at each other.

"Did you see that?" Lumiere asked with a grin as he hopped off and looked down the hallway,Cogsworth rushing behind him. "It's a girl!" he gasped.

"I'm not blind," Cogsworth replied. Ignoring the grumpy clock, Lumiere went after her. "Wait a minute! I think that she must know that old man that came in earlier."

Lumiere stopped."Then we had better lead her to him, oui?" At least the girl was on the right floor. When she passed the door to the room with stairs leading to the tower they opened it. Hearing the dooor creak, she stopped and turned around.

"Papa!" she called, running into the room. She saw a light drifting up the stairs "Wait! I'm looking for my father." she called but as she walked up she realized that no one was there."O_dd," _she thought as she continued. When she got to the top, she heard her father's voice. Running towards it, she found him locked in a room. She heard him coughing.

"Papa! you're sick! We have to get you out of here!"she exclaimed.

Maurice gasped. "No! Belle, leave this place! There's no time to explain! There's a demon--"

He was interrupted by a growl. Belle froze. Suddenly she felt herself grabbed and twisted around. She dropped the torch she was carrying. It all happened so fast that she didn't see anything.

"What are you doing here?"a voice growled.

Belle couldn't see a thing."Who's there?" she called into the darkness. The only source of light in the room was a hole in the roof.

"The master of this castle."Cardell stared at the girl. One advantage of being a beast was that he didn't need much light to see in the dark. He didn't want this girl to see him; he wanted her to leave his castle, now! He growled again.

Belle detected a movement on the room."Please, let my father out! Can't you see that he's sick?"she begged turning towards the shadow. Whatever it was, it was big.

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here,"the voice replied heartlessly.

She was almost pretty. He shook his head. He wasn't human anymore;why should he even bother to notice? "_I accepted my fate years ago. Why is it tempting me now?"_ he thought.

Belle looked at her father anxiously. He couldn't stay here. "Please I- I'll do anything," she begged."_Please God_!" she prayed silently "_Show me what to do!"_

The shadow turned, and she caught the glimpse of a cape fluttering towards the door. "There's nothing you can do!"Cardell responded "_Leave now, please._" A feeling of despair washed over him. What would this girl do if she saw him ? "_Probably faint on the spot,_" he thought.

"Wait!" She saw the shadow stop. "Take me instead."

She heard a sharp intake of breath. "You!"he choked. "_Is she for real? Why would anyone volunteer to stay in this place forever_?" he thought,turning towards her. "You would take his place?" he asked in disbelief

"If I did, would you let him go?" she asked,watching the shadow move closer to her. It almost seemed scared.

"Yes, But you must promise to stay here forever," he said. "M_aybe, just maybe... could she be?" _he felt a stirring of hope but it quickly died as she gave her response

"Come into the light," the girl asked him. "_Oh. anything but that," _he thought. But he walked slowly, almost timidly,and stepped into the patch of moonlight coming through the roof.

Belle gasped. She saw a humongous paw and the legs of a wolf come into the light. It was wearing a pair of tattered pants and a cape that was not in much better shape. It had no shirt on,and itsbody was covered in brown fur. When she saw its face,she shrank back against the cell door. It had the horns of an ox with a short pug nose, two canines protruding from its jaws. The most startling feature wasits eyes: they were cold as steel yet they looked afraid. She looked back at her father.

_"Go ahead and leave_,"Carell thought."_Not even I can stand to look at myself."_ He watched in amazement as she stood up and actually walked towards him. He stiffened and pulled his cloak around him. "You have my word," she said, staring at him unflinching.

"Done!" he barked and strode over to the cell. Belle sank to the floor, her face in her hands. She heard the door unlock and felt her father hug her."No, Belle, listen to me! Don't do this!"

The beast walked by and picked up the man. "Wait" Belle cried out, but her pleas were ignoredas the beast dragged the man through the castle.

When he reached the palanquin outside he addressedtheman's pleas. She is no longer your concern," he growled, throwing him in. "Take him to the village." He turned back towards the castle. "_Oh great, now what in the world am I gonnado with a girl?_"he thought.

Belle laid on the ground sobbing. She would never see her father, Cozette, Reynard, anyone ever again. She was truly alone.

Lumiere had heard the whole conversation and realized that this girl, Belle, was not goingto fall in love with the master if he kept her locked up in the tower. When he saw Cardell walk up the stairs he stopped him. "Master, since the girl is going to be with us for quitesome timeI was thinking that you might want to offer her a more comfortable room." The beast gave a fierce growl."Then again, maybe not."

WhenCardell found Belle lying on the floor,he stopped. The girl looked up at him."You didn't even let me say goodbye," she said,tears running down her cheeks.

"_What have I gotten myself into_?" he thought as he rubbed his neck,a habit that he displayed whenever he was nervous. Then he remembered what Lumiere had suggested. The candelabra knew more about girls than he ever did.

"I'll show you to your room,"he said. She stared at him in disbelief. He looked around at the cell. Was this girl crazy? "You mean you actually want to stay in the tower?" he asked in amazement. She shook her head. He snorted, "Then follow me,"and with that he spun out of the room. Belle hurried to catch up with him.


	12. Believe

_The Wiz is cool and so was this movie, and if I owned them it would be super groovy_

**BELIEVE **

As they walked through the castle Belle looked around and noticed with dread thatevery statue and design resembled a monster of some sort. Homesick, she began to cry softly.

Cardell thought over what just happened.The voices of his past echoed in his head. "_Please don't hurt her,I'll do anything_!" his father's voice rang in his ears. He shook his head to clear his mind of the sound. Then he heard another sound. It was soft, and when he looked behind him, he realized that it was the girl. She was crying.

"_She is beautiful,"_ he thought. Physical beauty didn't really matter much to him anymore. He used to be the one of the most handsome men in the kingdom, save for that traitor Darcell's son. Beauty hadn't gotten him very far, so it didn't really matter to him anymore. But, maybe she could be the one.

"No!" he growled out loud. He saw Lumiere give him a questioning glance. Then again, his servants were counting on him. He hadn'tdone much for them as a human, but now... He turned and snuck another glance at the girl and remembered the look on her face when she first saw him. Lumiere tried to get his attention.

"Say something to her," Lumiere coaxed; this was not going very well at the moment. The girl was crying and the prince was being shy. _"Humph, he always was shy around girls_," he thought.

_"Of course, why didn't I think of that?"_ Cardell thought. "_What do I say? Hi my name is Cardell, I'm a beast who likes to, umm, what do I like? I don't think living in perfect solitude counts as a hobby."_ He looked back at her hesitantly. "I, um, my, uh, I hope you like it here." He looked at Lumiere who nodded encouragement. "The castle is your home now, so you can go anywhere you like, except the west wing," he finished.

"What's in the west wing?" the girl asked softly.

"It's forbidden!" Cardell growled as he thought of his room. There was not a single piece of furniture, tapestry, or picture that had not been destroyed in his rages over the years. Also, he preferred to catch his own food and eat it by himself in his room, so it was littered with the carcasses from meals long gone. No, she had definitely better stay out of there.

Belle jumped when he growled his response to her question. I wonder why I shouldn't go to the west wing," she thought as her gaze settled on the beast in front of her. He wasn't as scary as hehad appeared at first, but she decided to remember not to get on his bad side. She shivered as she remembered the sight of his claws, and his eyes. True they seemed cold; yet, there was something there, something human. She could see that those eyes were those of a soul that had held much sorrow, but what could a beast know of sorrow?

_"Please be with me, Mama,"_ she prayed silently as she looked up at the gargoyles that seem to leer at her. It was beginning to set in; she was a prisoner, here, forever. She missed Cozette and hoped that her father was all right.

"_Papa can take care of himself, but Cozette..."_ she thought. She shook her head and looked at the beast again in hopes of trying to distract herself from the waves of sadness and grief that were threatening to wash over her.

"_How did a beast acquire a castle? And I haven't seen a single person other than him - how does it stay in such good of shape as it is now?"_ Belle gave a little giggle as she imagined the Beast in a maid's uniform dusting a bust or some such. She stopped when they stopped in front of a door.

Cardell opened the door to the girl's room. Now, if you need anything, my servants will attend to you." She walked into the room, studying it, her movements more graceful than any dancer's.

Lumiere whispered loudly, "Dinner, invite her to dinner." Sure, the prince's table manners were non-existent, but they had to start somewhere.Lumiere would have to give him some pointers before they sat down to eat.

Cardell looked at the girl, grimacing as he thought of how he ate. Why would she want to eat with him? _Well, I'll not give her a choice, as to whether to refuse or accept_," he thought. "You will join me for dinner. That's not a request!" he roared as he slammed the door.

"Way to go, Romeo," Lumiere grumbled at Cardell's invitation. Hehopped off, following him. _"A lot of pointers...maybe Mrs. Pott's can help me, or this is going to be pointless."_

Inside the room Belle looked around and saw ordinary bedroom things: a bed with a rose carved on it, a wardrobe, and other such objects.But what really caught her attention was a clock in the corner of the room. She walked over to it and saw that it was one of her parents'. As Belle touched the carvings gently, she wondered how it got there. She found the inscription on the side and bent down to read it. It was one of the longest ones she had ever seen and had roses all over it and one rainbow.

_"If you believe, within your heart you'll know_

_That no one can change the path that you must go. _

_Believe in what you feel and knowyou're right because _

_The time will come around when you say it's yours._

_Believe there's reason to be. _

_Believe you can make time stand still._

_You know the moment you try, if you believe._

_Believe in yourself, right from the start! _

_You have the brains. _

_You have the heart. _

_And you'll have the courage to last your whole life through _

_If you'll believe in yourself, as I believe in you." _

Belle read that and cried. It was if her mother had written those words for her, as if she had known._"No matter what, mama, I will believe in myself!"_ she thought.


	13. Gaston!

_I had a dream that I ownedBeauty and the Beastlast night but sadly, it was all a dream, but Gaston was in it!..._

**Memories**

Even though a blizzard was coming, no one in the tavern noticed the cold weather outside.

In front of the fireplacesat Gaston, who was still fuming about the morning's events. Though he had thought up a plan, he couldn't put it into action until he received his responses to the messages he had sent out earlier. LeFou came up behind him with two beers in his hands, tryingnot to trip over Gage,who was sprawled out asleep by his master's side.

"Who does she think she is?" Gaston demanded. "That girl has tangled with the wrong man. No one says 'no' to Gaston! Ever."

"Darn right! More beer?" piped up LeFou, trying to cheer his friend up. Sadly, so far nothing seemed to work.

"Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly humiliated! Why, it's more than I can bear." Gaston continued grabbing the beers from Lefou and throwing them into the fire. "I don't need any more beer, why should I? Nothing helps. I'm disgraced." He just knew that the villagers were gossiping about him. Well,he'd show them!Belle would be his; it was only a matter of time.

LeFou stared at him in shock. "Rejected! Who, you? Never! Gaston, you've got to pull yourself together," he persuaded his friend.

Gaston turned the chair away from the little man and slapped him away. "Leave me alone for a while!" he ordered, staring into the fire. Belle...how could she have done this to him?

He thought of his mother. When he was younger she had told him that he would marry the prettiest, the best girl in the village. His mother had died shortly after the two had moved to the village when he was around 17. It hadn't taken long for Gaston to be revered as the strongest, handsomest, all around best man in the village.

He had been on a hunt, getting some meat for the coming winter when he had come home to find his mother dead, the older more superstitious members of the village had declared her to be fairy shot but it didn't matter how, his mother was dead.

"Aww come on Gaston," Lefou said, interrupting Gaston's thoughts."There's no man in town as admired as you. You're everyone's favorite guy. Everyone's awed and inspired by you." And with that he pointed out Gaston's trophies that hung all over the tavern."And it's not very hard to see why."

Gaston thought of his father. When Gaston was a child,everyone had said the same about him. The famous knight had taught his son everything he knew about hunting and horsemanship. His famous saying had been "Take what you can, while you can." Oddly enough, the time before he turned 15 seemed to be a blur of bits and pieces of memories for Gaston. He knew that before he had turned 15 that his father was stationed at another castle, but he couldn't remember where.

"Why there's no man in town half as manly - perfect, a pure paragon!" said one of the triplets - Blondell, Gaston guessed, focusing on the conversation in the background. It seemed that the triplets were singing his praises. He smirked. They should. He was the man of any girl's dream.

Dreams... when he and his mother had first moved to the village he used to have odd dreams of playing with a boy about his age. The boy seemed to have an arrogant manner and looked down on Gaston as if he was a servant. The boy was handsome, but not as handsome as Gaston himself of course. And the boy never wanted to go hunting - He said it was a waste of time. His mother had told him that his dreams were just nonsense andnot todwell on them.

He snapped back to the present when one of the tavern members patted him on the back, Saying, "My, what a guy you are Gaston!" Other members began to chime in.

"No one shoots like Gaston," called out Andre.

"He is any beast's worst nightmare," spoke up the bartender with a chuckle.

Nightmare... he used to have a nightmare in which his father got locked up in a dungeon of a castle. He visited his father and was ordered to destroy some books, or he would be hanged.

"Oh, there's no one as burly and brawny. For you see he's got biceps to spare. No, not a bit of him is scraggly or scrawny," another blond, Corise, piped up, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Girls... Lefou had often asked if he missed his life at court. That he did not. Court life was full of rules and lessons, such as how to read - of course he did not pay much attention to that.True he learned enough to get by, but it was not something he would do on his own free will. "The only useful things I ever learned there was how to seduce A woman and how to tell people what they wanted to hear, "he told Lefou in response, both of which he had turned into an art in his opinion.

Then a messenger came into the tavern. He walked over to Gaston and handed him two envelopes. Gaston struggled over them, thank goodness they were short. With a smirk he wrote his replies and the messenger left. The first message was proof that P.A.R.I.S.A. was just made up. As for the second, well if Belle didn't want to loose her home... he gave a chuckle and jumped up and among cheers went to join the others. By tomorrow night Gaston would have Belle as his bride, for if all went well he would make her an offer she couldn't refuse.

Outside in the village Rene and Cozette had come to the bookseller's shop. Rene looked at Cozette, who was shivering from the cold.

"It's never snowed this early in the fall before," Rene observed.

"Well, I'll take your word for it. But it doesn't help the fact that I am freezing," Cozette said, her teeth chattering.

Rene cuddled up to her. "No, really. It's about 5 weeks till Christmas time, and it doesn't usually snow till after the fall festival, which is a little over a week away," he said.

Cozette was about to reply when they heard an odd noise. "Look over there," Rene whispered, nodding in front of them. Cozette peered into the icy darkness. There was something moving out there.

"No, take me back to Belle! Now, please, before that monster hurts her !" a desperate voice echoed down the abandoned streets of the village.

"That's Belles father, Maurice!" cried out Cozette. Then a thing came into view. It moved like a giant spider, and resembled a carriage of some sort, except for the fact that the windows werebarred and there was no horse. The thing stopped and the man was somehow thrownout intothe snow.

Cozette glanced up at Rene, who looked more serious than she had ever seen him. "You had better get in. If Belles in trouble she might need your help," he said.

Cozette looked at him in shock. "What! I'm not getting in that thing! It's obviously bewitched and what could I do, Im just a small dog. Come..."

Rene picked her up like a small puppy and she yipped in surprise as he ran to the spider thing and threw her in. He knew that if he went with her Gage would track them down and that would be the end of it. Anyway Cozette was smarter and more resorfull than she let knew.

The air was knocked out of her with an "Oomph" as she landed inside. "Yes! You! Are! I can't go with you, Cozette, Gage... I believe in you, you can do this!" Rene cried out. Suddenly the thing began to move. She stared out the back and saw Rene sitting in the snow watching her, a sad look on his faceand Maurice running towards the tavern. When they were out of sight she looked forward and sat waiting and shivering. Rene was right; shehadto save Belle andhe couldn't help her, _"Come on Cozette, you can do this, why would a monster pay attention to some little dog wondering around. Your faster than Rene, and not as noticable" _

Crazy old Maurice, he's always good for a laugh," Pierre chuckled after throwing the man out into the snow.

"Oh, don't you know it, Belle's locked in a tower by a beast. What's next, dragons?" laughed Jacques.

The men went back tothier drinking. Gaston thought _"humm, maybe there is an easier way than buying thier land, If everyone thinks that Maurice is crazy than...Yes! that's it! All I have to do is convince evryone, and I'll start with Lefou"_

He reached over and pulled Lefou to his side "Did you hear what he just said, 'crazy old Maurice'" he asked. Lefou nodded his head "Crazy old Maurice. LeFou, I'm afraid I've been thinking."

Lefou looked at him. A dangerous pastime" he said in awe. Hunters don't think; they do. Gaston always told him that.

"I know," said Gaston, shaking his head. "But there is no such thing as P.A.R.I.S.A." He stopped when he saw Lefou's questioning look."That was Belle's excuse for not marrying me. She made it up!" he said.

"Why how dare she do something like that!" Lefou said, shocked. That girl was crazier than he thought. Gaston smiled as he saw the familer look on Lefou's face, _"Good, everything is going just fine."_

"And what more," Gaston continued, "thatwacky old coot is Belle's father, and his sanity's been proven to be only so-so. Now the wheels in my head have been turning, since this morning's ruined plan. See, I've promised myself I'd be married to Belle. And right now I'm evolving a plan." And with that he whispered to Lefou his new idea to get Belle, once and for all.

"Now I get it!" cried out LeFou.

And with that they began to dance around the room both crowing, "No one plots like Gaston" said Lefou, running off to grab their coats.

_"Yes, I'm endlessly, wildly resourceful, as down to the depths I'll descend. Heck I won't even be mildly remorseful Just as long as I get what I want in the end,"_thought Gaston.

The villagers applauded and cheered and said to each other "Yay! his marriage we soon will be celebrating, my what a guy Gaston!"

And with that the pair left the tavern. Gaston had to go to the bankers houseand the aasylum before it was to late.

"Where have you been," snapped Gage when Rene ran up to join them.

"Walking. you?" he answered, "_I hope I did the right thing by sending her alone."_ he thought as Gage told him about what happened in the tavern


	14. RAZZLE DAZZLE

_Beauty and the Beast, a movie named Chicago, what two things do they have in Common? Jerry Orbach and I don't own them!_

_Trudie, as always thank you for your help_

**In the dining room**

Lumiere and Mrs. Potts watchedas Cardell paced back and forth on all fours, snorting from nerves. This was not going to be easy,they both thought from their respective spots on the fireplace

He stopped and regarded the pair. "What's taking so long? I told her to come down. Why isn't she here yet?" he snarled,looking up at the pair. then he resumed pacing.

The pair looked at each other. Lumiere shrugged and Mrs. Potts spoke up."Oh,try to be patient,sir. The girl has lost her father and her freedom all in one day."

Cardell snorted and continued to wear agroovein the rug. Then Lumiere spoke."Master, have you thought that perhaps this girl could be the one to break the spell?"

"Of course I have! I'm not a fool!"Cardell growled,but he looked up at them with an unsure glance. "_How could she see anything but a monster_?"

"This is not going to be easy, Lumiere. These things take time," Mrs. Potts muttered looking down at the poor lost soul under her.

"But the rose has already begun to wilt," replied Lumiere.

Cardell looked up at them. _"I have the hard job here,you know,_" he thought,listening to them. He rubbed his neck. "It's no use. She's so beautiful, and I'm..." He looked at his paw and growled in disgust. "Well,look at me!"

Mrs. Potts looked at Lumiere pleadingly. He thought for a moment."Follow my lead," he muttered to her and jumped down onto the table. "Monsieur, all you have to do is, well,give her the old razzle dazzle!" he said.

"Do what?" Cardell asked, giving him a look of disbelief that was shared by Mrs. Potts.

"Oh, you know,sir," Lumiere said."Give her an act with lots of flash in it. Why,I promise,the reaction will be passionate!" He looked at Mrs. Potts for approval.

"But first,you start by making yourself more presentable. Straighten up,"Mrs. Potts said.

Cardell sat up on all fours."Try to act like a gentleman," she added, and Cardell stood up straight on two legs.

Lumierenodded encouragingly."To giveher the old hocus pocus, you will have to wine and dine her. As for your looks, how can she see with candlelight in her eyes?"

Cardell gave them an unsure look. "What if, in fact, I'm just disgusting?" he mumbled.

Lumiere gave him a friendly nudge. "Razzle dazzle her, and she'll never catch wise!" he said excitedly. "Why,when she comes into the room,you need to give her a dashing debonair smile." He smiledwide to emphasize the point. "Come, show me the smile."

Cardell smiled a very toothy grin. "_I really don't think this is going to work. She will probably run away screaming that I'm trying to eat her!_"he thought. And his thoughts were confirmed by Mrs. Potts' expression

Lumiere did not lookthe leastbit worried."Give her a show that's just splendiferous! You know,impress her with your rapier wit."

"Lumiere, I think that he should be sincere, and not worry with his rapier wit,"she chided the candelabra.

"Listen to me your highness. Razzle dazzle her, and you've got a romance,"Lumiere said,ignoring Mrs. Potts.

Cardell looked at the both of them getting quite confused. "_I have to be myself and pretend that I'm not myself? Girls must have gotten a lot more complicated over the past few years."_

Then Lumiere and Mrs. Potts looked right at him and said in perfect unison, "And above all... You must control your temper!"

Then the doorknob jiggled and Mrs. Potts cried out excitedly,"There she is!"

Lumiere whispered to him loudly "Razzle dazzle her, and she'll make you a Prince again," as the door slowly opened.

Cardell looked at he doorway, withtheir advice still ringing in his ears, and saw Cogsworth come in through the door.

"Good evening," the clock said nervously, coming into the room. The girl's responsewas still ringing in his ears:"Please tell him I'm not hungry tonight, and tomorrow isn't looking too good either!" she had hollared from her side of the locked door.

"Well, where is she?" Cardell asked. The girl could not have misheard his order, could she?

Cogsworth started stuttering, "The girl, well,uh,she said that, um, well you see. She's not coming."

Cardell's reaction was nothing new to him.

"What!" he roared as he bounded out of the room and across the stairs to her room, followed by the objects. They found him at her door banging on it

"Ithought I told you to come down to dinner!" he roared at the door. "_When I tell someone to do something it gets done. And it gets done my way or else."_

On the other side of the door Belle ignored the pleadings from the wardrobe. If the beast wanted her company he would have to ask her in a gentlemanly way. She was his prisoner, not his slave. "I'm not hungry!" she answered,wondering with a small gleam of nervous amusement how much more abuse the door could take.

Cardell looked at the door in shock. No one ever talked to him like this.

"You come out or I'll ... break down the door!" he retorted,fixing to take the thing off of the hinges, when he heard a voice behind him.

"Master, I could be wrong, but that may not be the best way to win the girl's affections, and it most definitely will not razzle dazzle her," Lumiere said,trying to get Cardell to stop before he made good his threat.

Cogsworth looked at him pleadingly."Please, at least attempt to be a gentleman,"he begged.

Cardell looked at the three in shock. Could they not see that the girl was being more stubborn than a mule? "But she is being so difficult!" he spat at the door. They continued with thier pleading looks. He sighed and said flatly, "Would you come down to dinner?"

"No,"came the girl's reply just as flatly as his. He pointed at the door accusingly. This girl was mocking him, and their great advice was not working. He reached to rip the door off again, but was interrupted by Cogsworth.

"Suave, genteel, your highness," he instructed him.

Cardell rolled his eyes and bowed at the door mockingly."It would give me great pleasureif you would join me for dinner,"he said,grabbing on to his cloak as a means to steady him from ripping the barrier between him and the girl into shreds.

"We say please," Cogsworth muttered under his breath.

Cardell glared at the door "Please,"he said flatly.

"No! Thank you!" was her reply.

He stared at the door in shock. "You can't stay in there forever," he snarled.

"Oh yes,I can,"the girl replied.

She was stubborn! "Fine, then go ahead and starve!" he roared at the door. Turning to his servants,he added, "If she doesn't eat with me, she doesn't eat at all!" And with that he ran out of the hallway, slamming the door to the main hallway behind him.

Mrs. Pottslooked at her companions, shaking her headsadly."Oh, dear, that didn't go well at all did it?" Cogsworth nodded his agreement.

Lumiere looked up at the ceiling where a piece of plaster had just fallen down and hit him on the head. "Do either of you have any idea how hard it is going to be to fix that?" he muttered absentmindedly.

Cogsworthgave him an exasperated look. "Well, you can think on that right now because you get to be the first to stand watch. And inform me at once if there is the slightest change."

"Yes sir," Lumiere said as he watched the pair go off to the kitchen. There was going to be a big mess to clean up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the West Wing, Cardell burst into his room, fuming over whathad just happened. "I ask nicely but she refuses!" he growled,knocking a piece of furniture out of his way.

Sultan woke up from where he was sleeping when he heard the noise.

"Well,what does she want me to do... beg?" Cardell snarled as he grabbed the mirror that he hadgotten from the enchantress. "Show me the girl," he ordered,watching as she appeared in the glass.

She was sitting in her room talking to the Wardrobe, Mme.Bouche. "Well,the master's really not that bad, once you get to know him. Why don't you give him a chance?" it said.

The girl glared at the door. "Just because I'm his prisoner doesn't mean that I have to contend with him," she said,throwing her hands up into the air. "I don't want to get to know him. I don't want anything to do with him!" The scene faded as Cardell put the mirror down.

Cardell looked at the rose. "I ought to just get it over with now, just smash this thing." He reached for the bell jar but was stopped by the sound of Sultan's bark. He looked down at the footstool, who growled at him. With a sigh Cardell turned away from the rose and walked over to the balcony and looked out over the snow topped trees.More Snow was coming.

"I'm just fooling myself. She'll never see me as anything... but a monster," he said softly. Sultan whined and Cardell shook his head.

"It's hopeless,Sultan. For in my twisted face, there's not the slightest trace of anything that even hints of kindness. Can she see that from my tortured shape, there is no comfort, no escape? Then again, maybe she can't. As for me, all I can see is that deep within me is filled utter hopelessness."

_A/N ts kinda easy to guess that this chapter was inspired by Chicago huh :)_


	15. Be Our Guest!

_A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I decided to put this up, though my muse for this story is on vacation. Actually, she keeps watching Phantom of the Opera..."Hey, get back to work! Gaston needs to meet Courtney ya know!" Darn muses never do what they're supposed to. (also the Muse say's for me to refer to her as Mulan, LOL whatever)- Emily_

_P.S. okay, it's not all her fault I'm basicaly handraising a litter of Basset hounds (Yay for Bassie's) and I just am to tired to type, But their weaned now, so hopefuly i'll have some spare time. (also Mrs potts never went into the bedroom and introduced herself, so except for the beast and wardrobe, she hasn't seen any object's, I purposely skipped that part)_

_Disclaimer: Roses are red, Violets are blue, I dont own this story... how about you? bows to the sounds of applause and cheering_

_**Be our Guest**_

A few hours later,the door opened and Belle slowly stepped out. After deciding the coastwas clear, she made her way down the hall.

"Did you hear something,Lumiere?" asked Babette, the feather duster, interrupting their discussion about fixing the hole in the ceiling, along with enjoying frequent kisses.

"Only the sound of amour,"said the candelabra smoothly, looking at her. He sighed. The night of the enchantmentwas the night that he had been planning to proposeto her, his true and only love, his Babette.

"The girl has left her room!"Babette cried out,seeing the door ajar. Lumiere looked for himself. "Zutalors! She's gone." And with that he made his way to where he was sure that Cogsworth was, the kitchen.

And Lumiere was right,for at that very moment,Cogsworth was in the kitchen venting his frustrations on anyone who would stand still long enough to listen.

"Well, if you ask me, she was just being stubborn, almost as stubborn as him. I mean after all, he did say please, eventually." Hefolded his arms.

Mrs. Potts shook her head at the memory of the event."But if the master doesn't learn to control that temper--" she began when the clock shushed her.

The door opened and in walked the girl. She looked around and was a Bit shocked to find a clock and a teapot having a conversation, but the Wardrobe in her room had warned her about other talking objects so she tried not to show it. "Uh, Bonsoir," she began."My name is Belle." The objects smiled, and the clock walked towards her.

"Splendidto see you out and about, mademoiselle. I am Cogsworth, head of the household." He gestured to the teapot."This is Mrs. Potts,the cook, and her son Chip."

The teapot nodded and a little teacup jumped up and down. "Hi," it cried excitedly.

Belle giggled. Then acandelabra ran into the room and moved in front of the clock.

"And this is Lumiere," the clock said sourly, trying to shove him out of the way.

"If there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable ..." began Mrs. Potts.

"Well, I am a little hungry," Belle admitted.

"You are? Well,you are in the best room of the castle to have that problem fixed,"Lumiere said, hopping around excitedly.

"Why didn't you eat with the master?" asked Chip.

Belle shrugged."It's the principle of the thing. If he had tried asking nicely the first time, I might have actually considered it,"she said.

"Well, that sounds as good a reason as any other," said Mrs. Potts. "I'll fix something up real quick."

"Rememberwhat the master said,"Cogsworth muttered loudly. He looked at the teapot's and candelabra's disapproving glances. "Fine. Glass of water,piece of stale bread,and then ..."

"Cogsworth!" the objects cried out.

"She's not our prisoner," said Mrs. Potts,smiling at the girl warmly.

"She's our guest," said Lumiere.

"Just keep it down. If he finds out about this,it will be our necks," Cogsworth warned.

The objects agreed and Belle was treated to a very fine meal and talked with the objects.

"That was a wonderful meal, thank you," Belle said sincerely.

"It was our pleasure," said Jean, the stove.

"Well, my goodness, look at the time! Now,my dear,it is time for bed," said Cogsworth.

Belle looked around the room. "Oh, I couldn't possibly go to bed now. I'm just brimming with curiosity. It's my first time in an enchanted castle,you know," she said.

"Enchanted!" squeaked Cogsworth nervously.

"Who said anything about the castle being enchanted, mademoiselle?" laughed Lumiere just as nervously.

"It was you,Lumiere, wasn't it?" Cogsworth accused .

Just then Chip hopped by singing "Be our guest! Be our guest! Our command is your request. It's ten years since we had anybody here. And we're obsessed."

Belle raised her eyebrows. "I kind of figured it out for myself," she said as the three watched Chip hop off. "I'd like to look around,if that's all right?" she asked.

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea..." began Cogsworth.

Belle smiled sweetly at the clock."Perhaps you'd like to take me. Why,I'm sure that you know everything there is to know about this castle."

"_Score one for Belle,"_ thought Lumiere."_That girl has learned fastthat the best way to get on Cogsworth'sgood side is to flatter him."_

Cogsworth seemed to puff up a little "Oh, well, actually, I do."

_A/N: THANX FOR ALL THE REVIEWS, Big or small I love them all :) I'll give everyone a imaginary cookie for everyone, just like those sold on E-bay, free shipping even LOL._

**_in the next few episodes. Lumiere shows the beast how to Razzel Dazzel a girl. The Beast then gets attacked by wolves and Cozette arives at the castle. Gaston test's the theory of yes and no, and winds up at a tavern called the ruby red slipper. all the while Belle and the Beast decide that it's to cold in France and move to the Florida keys. Ok not really, but it sounded good._**


	16. I wish I was home!

_Disclamer: __I found the beast mask to my doll ! So I own that also, but the copyrights and stuff belong to the mouse. But Cozette and the others are mine!_

_Domo arigato, Mrs. Trudi, domo...domo.. except for part 2 the dream, we havent done that one yet!_

**HOME**

As Belle toured the castle with Cogsworth, Lumiere, and an ottoman called Gregory, she wondered where the beast was...

At that moment Cardell was outside walking around the grounds, followed by Sultan, trying to clear his mind of that girl, but things were not going well. "_There's a feeling here inside, that I cannot hide, and I know I've tried. But it's turning me around. I'm not sure that I'm aware, If I'm up or down, or here or there. I feel as if I need both feet on the ground."_

He looked up to where Belle's room was, and saw that it was dark. It was late, so shewas probablyasleep. He shook his head as the image of the girl slipped into his mind.She was so confounding!_ "Maybe I should apologize for not asking her to dinner like Lumiere suggested. Someone that stubborn obviously doesn't like to take orders."_

He gave a small smile at the thought of seeing the shocked look on her faceif he apologized. Who knew? Maybe there would be a chance after all. He just needed to remember to keep his temper in check.

"_Why do I feel like I'm drowning, when there's plenty of air? Why do I feel like frowning? I think the feeling is..."_ He stopped as he saw movement in his room. With a growl, he started up towards it.

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Inside the palanquin,Cozette was worrying about what to expect when she reached this monster'splace to rescue Belle.

"And justwhat is this monster Maurice talked about? Is he big? Will he scare me?  
If I ask if Belle and I can leave, will this thing try to eat me?  
How will I know then, if we'll ever get home again?"

She imagined Belle chained to a wall,and her sneaking in as quietly as a mouse, and somehow setting her mistress free. But as they were about to leavethe fortress,they were stopped by some giant dark shadow. And it gave an evil laugh when the small dog asked to have her owner freed, but like David and Goliath,she single-handedly defeated it. And then they went home amid the cheers of the villagers,and Gage never bothered her again,andshe and Rene could be friends or mates - no one would dare to tell them any different.

She smiled as she remembered what Rene had told her. "I believe in you." Yes she was sure now, she would and could do it!

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Back at the castle,Belle had sneaked away from the tour group and was exploring the west wing. There were broken statues and ripped up paintings and tapestries everywhere.

_"I'm so amazed, by the things that I see here. I don't want to be afraid; I just don't want to be here. In my mind one thing is clear! What am I doing here?"_ She stopped her musings as she saw a door. After opening it, she saw that it led to a huge bedroom.

"It looks as if a tornado ripped through here," she muttered as she took in the mess. There was broken furniture everywhere; anything that could be destroyed had been, except for a four-poster bed and a table.The room also had an odd smell.

"It must be his room," she thought as she looked around. "No wonder he didn't want me up here; this place is a pigsty." She turned to leave, but accidentally knocked over a table. As she began to set it upright, she noticed a glow in the room.

There,on a table by the balcony, was a rose in a bell jar. Transfixed, she walked over to it; her mind was enveloped with warmth and happy thoughts. She picked up the jar and reached out to touch the rose. She swore that she could hear her mothers voice...

"What are you doing here!" growled Cardell, more out of surprise than anger. He grabbed the jar and put it over the rose and glared at her.

The spell broken,Belle backed up slowly and fearfully. He looked like he was going to hurt her. "I just.." she began, but he rushed towards her.

"I warned you never to come here!" he roared. "_Oh, no, I can' believe that she deliberately disobeyed me, I didn't want her to see this, ever_." He thought of how his room must have looked to her. Then he growled.

Belle saw a look ofshame pass over his face, but in a flash it was gone,replaced by anger. "I didn't mean any harm. It was just so beautiful and..."

"Do you realize what you could have done? Get out!" he roared and smashed a piece of furniture that was in his way. The girl ran out of the room. He heard the front door slam and looked around the room.

"What have I done?" he thought as he sunkonto the ground."The servants were always telling me to control my temper and instead I've scared her away. She'll never love me, andcan Iblame her?"

"Why did she have to come in here?" he yelled out into the darkness of the room.

"Master, Belle has gone out into the woods, the wolves will surely get her!" Mrs. Potts cried, coming into the room perched on Sultan's back.

Cardell went to the balcony and looked downat the ground. _"Belle... the namesuitsher. Well, her looks, anyway,"_ he thought. Then he saw the path of hoofprints in the freshly fallen snow.

"That path goes farther into the woods, not to any village," he said, and with that he ran outinto the grounds and began to follow the tracks. As he tracked he heard the howling of a pack of wolves. It sounded like they were close to making a kill, and he feared that the girl was their prey.

_"I shouldn't have yelled at her! And now because of me,she's going to be eaten by wolves, just great!"_ he thought as he came upon a clearing and saw her.

The girl, Belle, was trying to defendherself and her horse, whose reins were tangled in some branches. Suddenly a wolf knocked her down, and he saw another one lunge for the kill.But before the wolf could strike, Cardell jumped in and grabbed it. Throwing the wolf away he stood over the girl daring any of the others to try to attack her.

The pack accepted the challenge. Like a flash of lightning he was knocked into a world of red-hot pain. Rage was pumping through his veins like blood. "You will not touch her!" he roared,ripping one wolf off his arm. He felt his flesh being ripped away with it. They were everywhere biting, ripping, and snapping. He roared as he continued to throw them off. He knew that he couldn't lose - Belle's life was at stake. His energy fading fast,he threw another wolfoff and heard it yelp. It must have been the alpha, because the pack stopped suddenly and ran off.

The woods were quiet. He looked at the girl. She had a few scratches here and there,but was otherwise unharmed. He felt something wet.he looked down and saw red berries in the snow. Then he realizedthey weren't berries -it was blood. His blood. He was transfixed as the drops began to swell into small pools.

_"There is so much of it,"_ he thought almost in wonderment, as the ground began to spin under him. He looked over at the girl and tried to take a step towards her."Belle, are you..." he began. But he fell unto the snow unconscious before he could finish.

Philippe reared and whinnied; Belle ran to the horse and untangled him. She began to jump on, but then she looked back. "He saved my life,Philippe. What do I do?" she said the horse carried her over toward the beast. The sawhorses in the barn had told him about the spell and everything.

Belle nodded and walked towards the beast. She bent down and shook him. "Wake up, at least long enough to get on Philippe," she pleaded. She felt the beast stir,andhe weakly got up long enough to lean on the horse. She used a piece of rope from the saddlebag to tie him on, for he was surley to weak to hang onon his own, let alone walk. When they returned to the castle, some of the more stronger objects come out to help bring him into the parlor, which was on the first floor.

When they had him seated on a couch, Belle assessed his wounds."Bring me some hot water a needle and some thread,"she said. "He is going to need some stitches in this arm."

Sultan and Mrs. Potts brought the items to her. "_Please let him be alright_," thought Sultan.Suddenly he saw an image ofthe masterand the girl dancing. He shook his head to clear it. Hopefully that was a good sign.

As Belle worked on the beast he began to twitch and moan. "_He's dreaming,"_ she thought, and as she continued she wondered what he was dreaming about.

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Cardell opened his eyes and looked around, it was dark and he couldn't move from the spot where he lay. He tried to see if he could smell or feel anything, but this dark place was void of anything recognizable by any of the senses.

Then there was a flash of lightning and a rumble of distant thundering and his senses became overwhelmed in a sudden downpour of rain. He felt another presence but he couldn't see a thing. He lay there unable to move freezing in the rain feeling more vulnerable than he ever had in his life.

Then the sky lit up with another flash of lightning and he saw a wolf. It was a giant black wolf coming towards him slowly with its fangs bared growling then, it went dark again. His heart pounded as he struggled to move. Then there was another rumble of thunder and he could move, he jumped up and after another flash of lightning he realized that he was on the roof of his castle, he searched for the wolf in the pelting rain. Then the stars came out and he could see, barley.

"_Where is it?"_ he thought desperately searching. He could hear it growling, the sound seemed to come from all around him. Then there was another flash and he gasped.

The wolf was not even 3 feet from him and as it stood up on it's hind legs it began to change into a man.

The man was dressed in a black cape and his features were hidden by a hood. "Who are you? What do you want?" Cardell asked.

The man pulled back his hood, and pulled out a bow and arrow from behind his back. Cardell growled he knew who the man was, it was Darcel, but it looked to young to be him…

"Darcel!" Cardell roared at the man. The man shook his head no and smiled using the bow and arrow to take aim at him. With a twang the arrow flew straight towards him.

"No!" he heard a voice cry out, A female voice, Cardell watched as the arrow seemed to break into a million pieces inches from making it's mark. He closed his eyes against a bright light that began to surround him; it felt so warm, so safe.

There was a horrible cry and then a howl as he saw the man change into a wolf and run into to darkness. He turned and squinting saw a figure, the girl, Belle. She held out her hand to him smiling, he reached for it when suddenly she turned and began to run away, the light leaving with her. "No, wait Belle, don't leave me!" he cried as the darkness once again enveloped him.

He heard her voice call out from the darkness "I'll stay with you, I promise." And he drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"Well every one that's all I can do, now it's up to him." Belle informed the others, It was getting late almost 3 in the morning and she was tired.

Suddenly the beast opened his eyes and he reached for her grabbing he hand." No, wait Belle, don't leave me," he cried and then he slipped back into unconsciousness.

Belle held on to his paw and leaned down to whisper in his ear "I'll stay with you, I promise." He seemed to relax, she marveled at the paw in her hand, it was so soft and the nails were not as sharp as she originally thought. So she sat there holding on to his paw as the hours wore on even after she fell asleep.

The objects bustled about trying to keep their minds clear of what happened, Belle was taking care of him, promised not to leave his side. True Cardell was terribly injured and could have died, and also he was not out of the woods yet. But still, it was an encouraging sight to see her asleep by his side, holding on to his paw.

Cozette woke up as the palanquin stopped suddenly. "Finally!" she muttered as she slipped through the bars and landed onto the snow under ground. As she looked around she took in the view of the castle in front of her

"Whoa, who is their decorator, Quasimodo?" she muttered as she searched for an entrance a sent, anything. Putting her nose to the ground she picked up Belles sent and began to follow it. She came to the front door and thankfully it was not shut all the way.

As she walked through the entrance she felt an odd tingling sensation but she shook it off as nerves. Sniffing about and sticking to the shadows so she wouldn't be spotted she found herself in a room. She looked around quickly and spied her mistress asleep leaning upon a couchwith her arm resting on a something…

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"Well, I don't know about yall, but I'm tired!" Asahi exclaimed and she got up to get the kinks out of her legs.

"What about Cardell!" sputters Christa

"What will Belle think when she sees Cozette again?" asks Sissy

"What is Gaston's new plan?" asks Shanley "I think I'm begging to like that guy, I just hope that's he not to bad."

Asahi yawns, "I'm tired guys, I'll tell yall some more tomorrow I'll make it a long chapter."

The others nod and soon everyone goes to bed each wondering and imagining what the future will hold for the Beast, Belle, Cozzete, Gaston, and all the others.

**I will give any reviews a free cyber Plushie of the following choice: Cozette, Rene, Gaston, Belle, Beast, Lumier, Cogsworth, Mr Potts, Sultan (before and after the spell), and Gage, Just tell me which one ya want when ya leave your Review!**


	17. Leroy, get a clue!

_Thank You Trudi! I do believe that this one was the hardest yet to get, what with Gaston sounding like a tral lawyer at first huh? LOL_

_A/N: the Judge is the one in the mob scene that says.. "He'll bring havoc upon our village if we let him wander free_.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beauty and the Beast so if you sue me all youll get is a bag full a nothin!_

**That same night in the village**

The snow had stopped falling by the time Gaston reached the Asylum. He didn't need to have stayed long at the bankers home, he would keep that information in mind but hopefully this trip to the asylum would save him from being to underhanded. if it didn't work than he could always buy their home out from under them, but this seemed to be less hands on for him.

He honestly didn'twant to hurt Belle or her father, but she left him no choice. He was 25 and not getting any younger, and she was the best and so was he. this was the only way.

He looked down at Lefou and began to speak. "Lefou, I just don't understand it. I've tried everything I can think of. I set up the wedding for her, offered her a sure future, but she denied me! So what can I do? She will be my bride! This time I'll make sure she won't refuse me."

LeFou nodded his head and begin to shake a little when he heard the sounds of screaming coming from the asylum, Maison des Lunes. "_Remember what mama always said: laugh at the crazy people and they won't hurt you_," he thought. As soon as the pair and their dogs were let in, the head of the place, Monsieur D'Arque, came in and Lefou gave a small choked laugh which earned him a strange look form the two other men.

Gage looked up at the man, when he heard his master's friend give a nervous laugh. What is he laughing at? "_There's nothing here but a human that is scary beyond all reason_," he thought, studying the man. He was tall and very skinny, and he looked a lot like a walking skeleton and gave off an odd feeling. Rene gave a small whine and Gage nodded his head in agreement. The two dogs ran out the door. Even if it was colder outside they sure felt safer!

"Bonsoir, monsieurs," he greeted the pair, ignoring the dogs that went past him. "And how may I be of service to you?"

Gaston spoke up. "I have A small problem. There's this girl, Belle, that I'm getting married to, but she doesn't seem to understand that. I proposed to her this morning and she turned me down! Made up some crazy excuse."

"Oh yeah you should have heard it, she called it P.A.R.I.S.A., people ..." Lefou started with a chuckle.

D'Arque interrupted him. I don't see how I can help you. I'm not Cupid. This is a place for the deranged." He gave a cold chuckle. "Are you wanting to send the girl here? She would be crazy by the time she got out - this place does get to you soon enough. Some even say it sucks the soul out of you. If I ever have any guest, they stay in the cottage out back with me, though the sound of the screaming does penetrate the walls out there."

"No, it's Belle's father, Maurice, that I want you to lock up. She would do anything for him. I figure that if you threatened to lock him up due to his bursting into the tavern tonight ranting about a beast, then she would surely marry me to save him. And that would be because I am the only one who could convince you to let him go." And with that Gaston threw a bag of coins on the table in front of the man. "Convinced?"

D'Arque smiled as he weighed the bag in his hand, "Yes, very convincing."

"Well, do we have a deal? And also I don't want Belle to ever find out that this was my idea, ever," Gaston said.

D'Arque held out his hand and Gaston shook it quickly. "This is despicable and horribly uncouth," he gave a chuckle. "Oui, monsieur, we have a deal, and your secret is safe with me. Think of it as an early wedding present."

When they left the asylum they headed over to the deputy's home so they could put their plan into action. "Leroy D'Arcy, are you home?"

"What is it, Gaston?" Leroy asked, answering the door with his wife by his side. The deputy was about 5' 9 and the same build as Gaston, but where Gaston was muscled up and chiseled, Leroy was fat and circular, and his wife was pretty much the same. The man took his job very seriously but, as everyone knew, he was quick to jump to conclusions and wasn't the brightest fellow in the whole world, and that was what Gaston was counting on.

"Well, you see Leroy, I'm sure that you were on your way to Maurice's place because of his outburst at the tavern this evening and well..." he leaned over and spoke softly to the man. "Not that I want to cause a panic, but some of us are worried that Maurice may have lost touch with reality, if you know what I mean."

Leroy glanced at his wife, the town gossip. "Honey, go inside," he said, and after she left in a huff, he stepped out and shut the door behind him. "Now Gaston, Maurice is harmless, probably just had a little too much to drink. Why don't you go get constable..."

Lefou spoke up. "Leroy, we don't have time! You should have heard Maurice! he was hollering that Belle has been kidnapped by a beast - does that sound okay to you?"

Leroy thought for a moment and sighed. "You're right, some one did mention it earlier, but if you think that he could possibly be a threat then we had better check it out." As he went back in to get his coat Gaston smiled. Things were going perfectly.

When they reached the cottage everything was dark inside. Leroy burst inside. "Maurice! Belle! This is Leroy D'Arcy. I'm here to ask a few questions!" he called out, but there was no answer. Gaston and Lefou came inside and looked around.

"What happened? It looks like a tornado tore through the place," said Lefou in shock. And he was right; things were thrown helter skelter everywhere.

"I bet there was a fight," said Leroy, nodding in excitement. "Yep, a fight, maybe between him and Belle. Yes, that's it!"

Gaston shook his head. I don't think so, Leroy. Gage! Rene! Come here you two!" he called out to the dogs, Who came barreling in. He picked up a book that he had seen Belle reading earlier and a hat of Maurice's and held it to the dogs to sniff.

"Here boys, find Belle and Maurice and I'll give you a deer steak," he coaxed as the pair sniffed the items. Baying, Gage took off out the door, Rene trailing behind him.

"Slow down, Gage!" called out Rene. "You're going the wrong way! The scent leads down the road, not into the woods."

"Depends on who you are smelling, Rene," said Gage. "I smell the horse, and I also smell that you have been with Cozette. I thought I warned you about being with her!" he growled as he walked up to the smaller dog.

"You wait till now to bring that up," Rene said with a defiant air. "And anyway I smell the man, but I don't think that we should track them. Maurice isn't crazy. This isn't right and I won't have anything to do with this!" He turned around, but before he could take a step, he was shoved down and rolled over on his back.

Gage stood over him with fangs bared. "Yes, you will! I will overlook you being with my Cozette this one time if you find the old man. That's who my master wants at the moment anyway." RenÃ nodded in defeat. "Good." And with that Gage got off, snapping at RenÃ's muzzle to remind him who was boss.

Rene rolled over to his feet. "I am a coward," he thought as he put his nose to the ground, ashamed that he didn't have the courage to stand up for what was right. "He went this way," he said as he led the way. A few feet from the man, he stopped and hit the ground with a whimper. He had stepped on a piece of glass and it was in his paw With a sneer, Gage went on, baying for his master.

Maurice turned around and saw the bloodhound coming his way. He knew the dog belonged to Gaston and was relived. "_Oh, thank goodness. Gaston must have decided to help me after all,"_ he thought and he turned around and ran towards the dogs. By the time he got there, they had been joined by Gaston, Lefou and Leroy.

"Where were you going, Maurice?" asked Leroy, looking at the disheveled appearance of the older man.

As Maurice set about telling the story of the beast, Gagebegan to sniff around, and he noticed a piece of cloth poking out of the man's pack. It was obvious that it had ripped off of something. He smelled it... Belle, it must have ripped off her dress. "_HMMM...the master wants to use this man as bait to get the girl, the house was destroyed, and now a ripped piece of her dress... Yes the perfect plan_!" He grabbed the piece of fabric, unnoticed by the arguing men, and walked over to Rene, who was still licking at his paw. "Rene, let me see your paw," he demanded.

"Why?" asked Rene, holding up his paw. Gage didn't answer him, but rubbed a piece of fabric in the blood that was slowly oozing out, and then walked off.

Gage walked back over to the man and made a show of finding the fabric on his pack and brought it over to Gaston.

Gaston took the object that the bloodhound was handing him and studied it. It looked like a piece of Belle's dress, and it was covered in blood. Leroy walked over and looked at the thing in Gaston's hand.

"Maurice, look at this! It's a piece of Belle's dress, covered in blood, and it must have come off of your pack, because there is another piece hanging on your compass sticking out of it!" Gaston announced, waving it in front of him.

Maurice stared at it. "It must have torn off of Belle's dress when I was running out of the house to return to the castle to rescue her from the beast. Though I have no idea where the blood..." he began to answer.

"Oh my God! Maurice, is that your way of saying that you murdered Belle and hid the body?" exclaimed Leroy in shock.

Maurice gasped and looked at Gaston for help. "I did no such thing! Gaston tell them! I would never harm Belle, I love my daughter!" he pleaded, shocked that any one could even think that he would murder Belle.

Leroy hushed him. "Don't say another word, Maurice, I am placing you under arrest for the murder of Belle Menken!" And with that he tied up Maurice and after getting on his horse led the man into town, practically dragging him through the snow.

As they went away, Lefou turned to Gaston, shock all over his face.

"Gaston, we both know that Maurice would never..."

"Hush!" Gaston snapped. "Let's get to town before something else happens," and he ran off. Lefou picked up Rene and hurried after him, almost getting knocked down when Gage barreled through.

0oooooooooooooo0

"Hang him!" a villager called out and Maurice shook with fear. This outlandish lie was spreading like wildfire. Not only was his daughter's life in danger, but so was his.

"Now wait just a minute! I will decide that!" called out Alfred, the judge, and with that he took Maurice inside the courthouse and slammed the door. When they reached the office he dismissed Leroy and after they were seated, he turned to Maurice.

"Now, Maurice, we both know that you wouldn't harm Belle, but my hands are tied. Please tell me the truth: where is she? When is she coming back?" he asked. Maurice was one of his friends here in the village.

Maurice shook his head and looked up at his friend, JudgeAlfred. The judge was about the height of Gaston, give our take a few inches and not as muscular, but with a kind, fatherly face that at the moment was filled with concern. "Never," he answered sadly "The beast..."

"There is no such thing!" the judge cried out in frustration, slamming his fists on the desk.

At that moment Gaston, Lefou, and their pets arived to the village square. "_This is not going at all like I wanted."_ Gaston thought, then he had an idea and ran inside the courthouse.

The two men inside looked up as suddenly Gaston burst through the door. "Judge! I believe that this man is innocent. And I have an idea as to how to prove it and disperse the mob. Come outside with me." The judge nodded and rose to follow Gaston, who was hoping that his skills of persuasion would work on such an angry crowd.

When the two men came outside Gage nodded his head and smirked to his admiring group of hounds, clambering for his attention. "And now Gaston will become Belle's hero, and I will be Cozette's!" Gaston turned to Leroy and studied him for a moment then he took a breath and began pointing to the crowd "First I would like to say this, people what are we doing here? Are we going to be a bloodthirsty mob? You all know Maurice - an old man who loves his daughter. Do you really think he'd kill her?" the crowd was quieted. Then he turned to the deputy "Leroy, are you meaning to tell us that you believe Maurice to be the murder of his beloved daughter, Belle?"

Leroy fidgeted a bit. The mob was silent. "Umm... yes ur I mean no.," he mumbled.

The judge looked at him. "Well, man what is it! Yes or no?"

Leroy answered him, "I'm saying yes!" Then he glanced at Gaston."But I'm leaning towards no."

Gaston prodded him, so far so good "Then your saying yes! Even though this evening he was in my very tavern trying to get us to help him find his daughter! True that I doubt there is any ferocious beast but what if it was someone in a disguise. Maybe he took that shred of cloth to use it as evidence to find her. And yet you want to lock him up!"

Leroy cried out "No!"

The judge cried out in frustration. "Then it's no!"

"Oh, not necessarily though, huh Leroy," Gaston said. "_Never play an ace if a two will do..."_

The judge looked confused. "Leroy you do sound dubious, you don't have anything against Maurice do you! What evidence do you have other than that scrap of fabric?

Gaston shook his head then turned and called out to the crowd. "Think about it, this poor, frail old man could be you. How would you feel if your only child was lost and in danger, but instead of helping you find her, the deputy wanted to blame YOU!"  
The noise from the crowd turned into a hum as he caught snatches of conversations

"Then who is the murderer?" muttered a villager.

"Well, Leroy suspected Maurice at first" another one answered.

"But It couldn't have been him, Gaston said so!" Said a third

"Now calm down everyone! There is an sure way to find out what happened to her! Tomorrow I will go out into the wood's and search for Belle, and the village will also send 2 other search parties which will be have Gage and Rene. I will be on my horse and will check the fair grounds and neighboring cities first."

"But we can't let Maurice go free until we find her!" exclaimed Leroy

The villagers nodded and the judge stepped forward "If you can't find Belle alive or this beast. Then Maurice will be declared guilty."

Gaston stopped Leroy who was about to go into the courthouse to take Maurice to the jail. "Just to make sure that he will be safe, Monsieur D'Arque has graciously decide to keep an eye on him at the asylum and put him in a fine room." And with a wink he threw a bag of coins to the man.

D'Arque picked up the bag and nodded. Deal, I'll put him in my own personal guest room."

All through the crowd sighs of relief were heard. Just in case Maurice didn't harm Belle after all, he wouldn't be hanged just yet.

The judge looked over at Gaston, and then the crowd. The Asylum was not the best place for anyone to be, but it was safer than the jail. _"What real choice do I have?"_ He thought as he reached out and shook Gaston's hand. "The trial will be set for three months from now, February 15th. You have until then to find her, alive."

Leroy went in and brought out Maurice leading him to the asylum wagon. As he walked by he stopped in front of Gaston and nodded. "Thank you! Take the way to the fair, but when you get to the crossroads,go down the dark path." The young man nodded at him, seeming to take in every word.

After the wagon rode off Gaston began his walk home, tomorrow would be a busy day.

Gage followed him beaming while praising himself.

"If that crazy old man is right that there is a beast out there, then I will have it mounted on my wall. I'll rescue Belle from the moster, and she'll be so grateful that she'll be thrilled to marry me! And if there is no moster ,then Belle will hear of how I saved her father when she returns. Either way, I'll be her hero!" He leaned down and petted Gage, feeling very pleased with himself. "This is what I call a win-win situation."

Farther back, trudging slowly, Lefou thought over the events of that evening, Rene limping at his side. "I'm glad that the glass didn't go in too deep. I don't know what I would do without you, boy," he said. He looked up to where Gaston was. "I know that sometimes he acts somewhat selfishly, but he is a good person inside

0ooooooooo0

"I can't believe that anyone believes that Maurice would hurt Belle!" says Kat indignantly.

"I'm not sure, but I think that while Gaston may not believe Maurice, he doesn't want the poor guy to get hanged. Right Asahi?" Shanley asks.

Christa sighs, "I wonder what Cozette has been up to."

Asahi wags her tail. Actually, I was about to tell you..."


	18. Cozette, We're Not In Molyneaux Anymore

Trudi I am so sorry! you probably want to wring my neck right now for my total blond moment... (Smack's self) what was I not thinking!

Disclaimer, nah not in the mood to say I don't own Disney's Beauty and the Beast, sorry. ;)

_A/N Just a quick recap: Cozette woke up as the palanquin stopped suddenly. "Finally!" she muttered as she slipped through the bars and landed onto the snow under ground. As she looked around she took in the view of the castle in front of her_

_"Whoa, who is their decorator, Quasimodo?" she muttered as she searched for an entrance a sent, anything. Putting her nose to the ground she picked up Belles sent and began to follow it. She came to the front door and thankfully it was not shut all the way._

_As she walked through the entrance she felt an odd tingling sensation but she shook it off as nerves. Sniffing about and sticking to the shadows so she wouldn't be spotted, she found herself in a room. She looked around quickly and spied her mistress asleep leaning upon a couch with her arm resting on a something._

**Cozette we're not in Molyneaux anymore**

"Belle!" Cozette barked happily, running up to her mistress.

The girl looked up sleepily."Cozette! Is it really you?" Belle cried in disbelief, hugging the furry dog, so glad to see her four-legged companion.

"Oh, Belle, I've been so worried,"Cozette began to yip. Then she noticed Belle looking at her funny. She stopped in confusion.

"Cozette, did you just talk?" Belle asked slowly.

Cozette stared at her mistress, whose face was full of shock."I've always talked, Belle. Do you mean that you can finally understand me?"

Belle shook her head in wonderment."After the day I've had, nothing should surprise me," she said dryly.

Cozette looked her over."So you're okay?" She looked over at the beast on the couch, who seemed to be sleeping. "What's that?" she asked.

Belle nodded."I think I'll be okay now, and this is the master of this castle," she said, nodding towards the beast. "I agreed to be his prisoner forever to save Papa..." And with that she filled the little dog in on what had occurred during the past hours. When she began to yawn,Cozette licked her mistress' face.

"You need rest. I'm going to explore this place. When the Beast wakes up, or some of those moving cups and stuff come back, you can ask them why we are able to talk."She looked around wearily."As for myself, I think I'll do my best to avoid them. This whole thing seems weird to me." And she left the room, keeping to the shadows.

Belle looked over at the beast; maybe he wasn't all that bad. The wardrobe had encouraged her to give him a chance.Maybe, just maybe... Well, things should be better now that Cozette was here, and she could talk!

Belle smiled and the beast groaned softly. She figured that he would wake up soon. She stood up and stretched out her kinks, then walked over to a chair that had been pushed in a corner. When she sat in it she found it was quite comfortable, and soon she was asleep again.

Cozette explored for a while, trying to stay out of view of the talking objects that seemed to be everywhere. She was also tired of muttering "Sorry" to the carpet and rugs since they were probably alive also.

She wasnow on the 3rd floor,and judging from all the dust,this area was obviously not used very much. She came upon an open door and looked in with a gasp. It was amazing! The sun had just begun to shine through the stained glass windows, and Cozette could see walls and walls of books! She stood there for a moment,awestruck.

_"Mental note: tell Belle about this room,"_ she thought as she walked in. The room was awash in hues of blues and reds, and the colors reflected off her coat as she entered.

In a corner, she noticed a window seat with the most inviting footstool beside it. She ran over to it and jumped on it, marveling over how soft and warm it was. As she was bouncing on it, the footstool moved, and with a crash, she landed on the floor.

"What happened?" She got up and began to inspect the object. As she was sniffing, one of the tassels sniffed back!

"Ahhaa!"screamed Cozette as she scrambled to hide behind a nearby chair. She peeked around the corner and saw the object move. From the way it had sniffed at her, it was apparently some kind of animal that had been enchanted, rather than a person. She wondered if it was dangerous.

"Stay away from me! Or I'll umm...chew on you!" she warned with a growl.

"It's very rude to jump on someone,"the footstool said, coming towards her. She stared at it, calming down a bit, though somewhat annoyed by its admonishing tone, as if she ran around jumping on it all the time!

"Can you understand me?" she asked, slowly coming out of her hiding place.

"Yes, I can,and you need to be quiet. Some members of the household need to sleep!"

It stopped its endless list of complaints for a second and seemed to be studying her. "Where did you come from anyway?" it huffed.

"_Rude much?"_ she thought as she answered coolly, "Belle is my owner, and I came to... protect her.And while you were asking:my name is Cozette."

The footstool gave a small chuckle."Sorry, I guess I did forget my manners for a moment. My name is Sultan."

"Well, Monsieur Sultan, I have a few questions. Is everything alive in this castle? Or have I been walking around for the past hour our so apologizing to the carpet for nothing?"she asked.

Sultan thought for a moment and then answered her quite seriously."No, the carpet's not alive.It's the flooring underneath it that you need to worry about."

Cozette yelped and jumped into the chair.Sultan began to laugh.

"I don't care to be teased! It's not like I've lived in a million enchanted castles, you know!"she huffed.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!" he said. "Honestly,this is the first conversation I've had in a long time, fellow animals hardley ever come up here. I don't count Gregory:he's an ottoman that lives in the kitchen, and I dare say he's notvery bright. Next question?" he finished, sitting down.

Cozette climbed down and walked over to him. "What is this place, why can Belle understand me, and what is with that beast guy?" she asked.Sultan stopped her and took a deep breath.

"Well, as you guessed this is an enchanted castle, though I should warn you about the master..."

"Oh, you mean the odd looking furry thing laying half-dead in the parlor?" Cozette interrupted.

Sultan nodded his head."Yes, that's him.You see, he didn't always look like that. Around 9 years ago he was a prince.I guess he was handsome as far as humans go, but his attitude overshadowed that."

Cozette pictured the beast looking and acting like Gaston, preening and strutting around the place, and groaned.

"He has ahorrible temper,"Sultan continued."It severed many friendships, and he was not known for his compassion to humanity. On the eve of his 16th birthday, an enchantress came by posing as an old beggar woman to test him, as enchantresses often do, and as you can see he failed, miserably. And everyone paid for it: the servants, the animals, everyone."

"Oh dear!" gasped Cozette. This sounded like something out of one of Belle's storybooks. "Is there anything we can do?"

Sultan nodded, his tassels swaying with his enthusiasm."Basically the master needs to fall in love with a girl and earn her love in return before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose... which will be in about 3 months. If he doesn't fall in love by then, we'll all be trapped this way forever."

Cozette huffed."Glad that you all don't need anything that is, well-"

"Impossible," Sultan finished sadly.

"I was going to say difficult, Sultan. Nothing is impossible. Oh wait!" She begin to giggle."Belle marrying Gaston -now _that's_ impossible!"

"Who is this Gaston?" Sultan asked. That name sounded familiar somehow.

Cozette sniffed."No one of any importance -only the biggest pain in the rump ever, save for his dog. Gaston only wants to hunt, hunt, and let me see... Talk about how he is God's greatest gift to man and womankind. He wants Belle to marry him so she can worship the ground he walks on and massage his feet."

Sultan laughed."So I guess that it is safe to say that Belle doesn't have any suitors at the moment that she truly cares for?"

"Yep, she's all clear, so why hasn't anyone told Belle about this spell yet?"

Sultan jumped up with an air of deadly seriousness."You can't tell her about the spell,ever! Trust me when I tell you that something horrible will happen!"

Cozette was about to ask what when she heard a light hunning sound. Out from nowhere a book landed inches from he paws on the floor. Giving a frightened yip she jumped back onto her safe haven, the chair.

"Sorry about that," muttered Sultan as he opened the book and began turning the pages. "My aim must be a little off."

"Huh?"

Sultan looked up and waved a leg at the shelves."This library is magical, every book ever written is here, and thank goodness the spell adheres to what you are looking for, though it does mess up now and then." Seeing Cozette's still-confused expression, he flipped pages faster, then shut the book, clearly annoyed.

"Like right now. This is the wrong one! Your second question was how you and Belle can understand each other... Well, there is a book that can explain it better than me but i'll be darned if I this library will produce it!" he shouted, more to the library than her. The response was 5 books landing smoothly on top of him.

Cozette couldn't helpa giggle as Sultan, obviously unharmed, got out from under the pile, huffing.

"Well, the spell made you able to. It decided that it would be helpful for you two to be able to--"

"Whoa! Spells are not alive. The person who makes it is alive, but not the spell itself, "Cozette interrupted, dodging a 6th book that came flying her way with a yip."Then again..."

"Generally that statement would be correct, but when a spell is made with as much emotionand affects as many lives as this one does, then after some time, it does take on a life of its own. It took about two years before the library became like this.Well it wasn't as moody at first; that has only been in the past three. Honestly, I think it's bored. I'm the only one who comes in here aside from Angelique and that horrid cushion. Anyway, I call these things Spell Shifts."

Cozette was amazedat hearing this. Belle would surely be beside herself. An idea began forming. "Well, that's um... bizarre. Does the beast like to read? Belle loves it."

Sultan thought for a moment. "He used to. Cardell, the prince, would always sneak off and hide in here before... but after the spell he stopped. I think reading about humans reminded him of what he lost. He refused to continue his singing lessons, dancing lessons, eating at the table, everything. I don't think he even remembers how to read now."

"Well at least he doesn't disregard it like Gaston, so there's still some hope,"she said, yawning.

Sultan nodded."You need some rest. Do you know how to find your mistress' room?" Cozette shook her head and yawned again. "Come on and follow me,"and they left the room.

When they reached the parlor Sultan whispered to her, "Cozette, remember: don't mention the spell to Belle."

Cozette nodded and walked into the room to curl in front of the fireplace, hoping to catch some sleep before the rest of the castle awoke. Her last coherent thought was one sleepy little question: "What kind of animal was Sultan before the spell?"

_Reviews are as always gladly appreciated. And they make me feel more up to staying up till 1:am in the morning typing..._


	19. The oysters

_Well, this is probbaly going to be the last chapter for a while, though it is not due to lack of insperation, just time... please review, it realy does make my day._

**The Pearl**

"This is your room,monsieur." Maurice looked around; it wasn't as bad as hehad feared it would be. There was a dresserand a bed with a nightstand in the otherwise sparsely furnished room. 

"Thank you, madam," he said,nodding at the woman whohad led him here. She returned his nod with a smile before bustling off down the dark corridor, to see to some of the other patients. 

Maurice walked over to the bed and sat down, his body and mind numb. It was hard to believe that not even two days ago he was happily going to the fair, his only troublepaying thebills and that was not even a stretch. He looked out the barred window and saw a beautiful sunrise, oblivious to the past night's events. His daughter Belle... He shook his head andlay down,letting his mind wander back to a time when things were so much simpler.. 

"Mamma, Papa!" an 8-year-old Belle called outas she ran into the house,tears pouring down her cheeks. "Francine and Lorraine told me that reading was silly and that I wouldn't do it if I weren't so ugly!"she sobbed. 

Rose looked up from her carving and saw her daughter's tear-stained face. She held out her arms and Belle rushed into them,crying from her peers' taunts. Rose took her over to a nearby chair and sat, rocking her slowly,wiping her tears away,singing a soothing lullaby. 

_Baby mine, don't you cry._

_Baby mine, dry your eyes._

_Rest your head close to my heart,_

_Never to part, baby of mine._

Soon Bell's sobs softened into small hiccups and she looked up to see Maurice walking into the room, coming in from the shop. Seeing that something had upset his daughter,he asked whathad happened while rubbing her back comfortingly as she spoke, while his wife continued humming. 

_Little one, when you play,_

_Pay no heed what they say._

_Let your eyes sparkle and shine,_

_Never a tear, baby of mine._

"Belle,did I ever tell you about the oysters?" Maurice asked. Belle looked up and shook her head no. 

"I never did? Well think about it:millions of oysters lying around the bottom of the ocean... Well, one day God came along and saw one and he said to himself "I think I' going to make that one different, special from all the others." And do you know what he did? He put a little piece of sand in it." 

"Sand? What is sand going to do?" Belle asked. 

Maurice looked at her and winked."Why,it made a beautiful pearl." 

Belle thought for a minute,a soft smile playing on her lips, and her face became serious again. "What if God makes a mistake?" 

Rose smiled."Well, the way I see it.dear heart, he never makes mistakes. Like the oyster,he makes us unique inour own ways." 

Maurice hugged the two,planting a quick kiss on his wife's forehead."Right, I mean, he made sure we got together, and we are the most unique family I know of," he teased,and they all laughed. 

Then Belle jumped down and ran upstairs,calling out,"Singing time!" 

Rose smiled and Maurice gave her a quick kiss. "We'd better go - our little diva will be in a opera before we know it, huh?" he asked,winking. Belle had a beautiful voice, but she was very shy about it. 

Rose smacked her husband playfully on the arm while getting up to go over to the piano hearing Belle clomping down the stair warming up. He smiled as Rose played and sang: 

_From your hair down to your toes,_

_You mean so much, goodness knows._

_And, you're so precious to me,_

_Sweet as can be, baby of mineâ€¦_

Maurice sat up, and saw a man at the doorway of his room. He studied him. The man stood about 5' 8".He was very fit,dressed quite impeccably,andwas clean-shaven. He was quite handsome, with his dark hair and blue eyes, which reminded Maurice of a bright summer's day. The man smiled at him in a freindly manner. Maurice couldn't help but smile back and accept the hand that the man held out to him. 

"Well, I heard we had a new inmate coming in,"he said in a light British accent, shaking Maurice's hand. "Cary Andrews at your service." 

Maurice nodded."Maurice Menken." 

"So, have you ever been in a place like this?" Cary asked. 

Maurice shook his head no and was about to say something else when Cary stopped him. 

"Wait, let me guess... You're a habitual liar?" he said with a teasing grin playing on his lips. 

Maurice gave out a small chuckle. "How would I answer that?" 

"Ok,not one of those, they always say no right off the bat. Hey,I got it: you have multiple personalities!" he said with a look of pure seriousness on his face. 

"What ..." 

Cary looked at him,pretending to be shocked. "You've never met anyone with multiple personalities! Oh, my dear man, what have you been missing? They are truly the main source of entertainment here. Especially since they moved the "vegetables" to the 2nd floor and the "screamers" to the top, honestly it is a lot quieter, except for full moon nights." 

He shook his head."Anyway, back to the subject at hand, the "multies", you are bound to like at least one of their personalities, and when they get into a fight... well, there's very littlethe orderlies can do to stop itnow,is there?" Maurice gave another chuckle and watched as Cary walked over to the door and shut it. "So what are you in for anyway?" 

The atmosphere in that room turned thick, as compared to the airy lightness of a few moments ago as Maurice took a deep breath and began. 

"My daughter, Belle, is being held captive in a castle. I told everyone in the village,but no one believed me! The deputy came up with this ridiculous idea that I murdered her.." 

"You didn't, though." Cary walked over to the window and pointed in the direction to where the castle was. "In fact,this castle was around the mountains,wasn't it?" His face looked grim and he appeared to have aged years in mere seconds. 

Maurice was dumbstruck. How did this stranger know? 

"Listen carefully and I will tell you my story of how I came to this place. then we can both judge our insanities. My parents were from England and my sister andIwere also born there. When I turned5,we moved to Versailles to help my father further his career. Well, after I turned8 I went back to England to study,but my sister stayed here." He pulled out a locket from under his shirt and handed it to Maurice. "The last time I came back was when I was 16 and she gave this to me" 

The locket was heart-shaped and when he opened it,the pictures inside showed a boy and girl. The boy appeared to be Cary, only about 18 years younger, and the girl was about the same age, though she appeared to have lighter hair and a more childlike face. Maurice turned the locket over and read the inscription on the back:"Don' forget...yourangel" he handed it to Cary who held it lovingly looking very sad. 

"Was that your sister's name, Angel?" 

"I don't know. You see, no one remembers her... It's like she never existed. That's why I'm here, been here or places like it for the past 7 years. When I came back to my mother's home, I discovered that she had disappeared; this is the only picture of her that exists. The last I ever remember hearing from her was that she got a job at a castle teaching music lessons to a princess there not to long after my father died. From there she was soon sent to help decorate a castle for a prince in a neighboring kingdom, at that castle, out there in those woods..." Cary stopped and stared out the window, almost in a dazed manner 

He sighed and shook his head. "I've nearly killed myself looking for that castle, after my mother died... my sister is the only true family I have left. Here I am under such tight securitythat I can'tfigure out how to break out,but maybe..." 

Maurice was quietfor a moment."Why don't you tell everyone that you don't believe that you havea sister?" he asked. 

"I would sooner die than utter such a lie. Why don'tyou just tell everyone that your daughter wasn't really kidnapped by a beast,and is off visiting?" he countered. 

Both men were silent; the truth would not always set you free in the end. 

Cary walked to the door and started to open it."Hungry?" he asked. Maurice nodded. With a smile,Cary nodded pointed to the mirror. 

He then spoke softly."My only advice is this:that mirror is going to be your only friend in this place. For only it will believe you." 


	20. Nowadays

_I'm Back! LOL, I had a free evening so I have a chapter for everyone, enjoy and as always please comment..._

**That Afternoon **

"That hurts!" a voice roared, waking Cozette up with a jump. She looked around and saw that the beast, Cardell, was now sitting up in the chair that Belle had been sleeping in the night before. He most certainly was awake now and was growling at Belle, who was obviously trying to change his wrappings. Sensing no immediate danger, Cozette sat down and watched the scene playing out in front of her.

Belle, flustered by his attempts to stay out of her reach, finally yelled back, "Well, if you would hold still it wouldn't hurt as much!" The beast stared and she took that opportunity to grab his arm and start working on it.

Cardell wrenched his arm out of her grip, glaring at her. "If you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have happened!"

Belle snatched his arm back. "If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away!"

Cardell growled and opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by Cozette's laughing.

"How did that get in here!" Cardell roared, noticing the dog for the first time

"That's my dog, Cozette, and don't you yell at her!" Belle demanded, her eyes flashing.

At a loss for words, Cardell turned away and tried to ignore her. He heard her muttering to herself, "It wouldn't hurt for you to learn to control your temper, and learn some manners!" He groaned, waiting for this torture to be over with so he could get away from her and her wound cleansing.

"Thank you for saving my life, Belle said, looking up at him while wrapping a bandage around his arm.

Cardell looked at her in surprise. No one had ever told him "thank you" and truly meant it.

Once again he was struck by how beautiful she was, especially right now with her hair falling out of its tie. Suddenly he felt warm and was at loss as for what to say, his head spinning from confusion and pain.

Belle looked down and was continuing to bandage his arm when she heard the beast clear his throat and say, almost nervously, "You're… welcome." She looked back up at him and smiled.

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Meanwhile back at the village…

"But Gaston!" Lefou exclaimed as his best friend grabbed a traveling pack from his closet. "You can't go into the woods by yourself! You should at least take Gage with you - it's winter time, and the wolves are so bad this year since those from the Asyl-"

Gaston held up his hand, silencing the short man. "Gage will only slow me down, Lefou, and I have been hunting since I was about seven years old, so a few wolves don't worry me. And anyway there isn't much time --- I have to find Belle, and fast." He went about packing his bag.

Lefou glanced nervously into the woods. "You don't think that there is really a beast like Maurice said, do you?"

"No more than I believe that the old man killed her. She must have gone to the fair or, I don't know, somewhere." He picked up his pack and headed out the door. "I have to find her, Lefou! You, Pierre, and the others will use Gage; he works better with René anyway."

Lefou steadied Gaston's horse. "It will be a few days; his paw is still very sore," he said, holding the horse as Gaston got on.

Gaston looked down at Lefou and Gage, who had walked up ready to go with his master. "Take care of Gage. He'll be better help for you than me; he's too slow when tracking with someone on a horse."

Gage snorted in anger, Slow? He was anything _but_ slow!

"Be careful," Lefou said, handing Gaston his gun.

"Of course I'll be careful," Gaston said, waving him away and riding off in the direction of the main road.

After he had gone out of sight, Lefou whistled for Gage and started off for his house.

Gage followed him without the usual spring in his step. His master had left him behind! Called him slow! _"Says I'll slow him down," _Gage snorted. "_Just you wait: me and your idiotic friends will find the girl first, and you will be the slow one!"_

O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

That evening, a few hours into his travels, Gaston came up to a road that he had never noticed before. While trying to decide whether or not to travel down it, he heard a voice call out to him and turned around.

Glancing about, he saw a short tan-skinned man riding a donkey. "Hello there," the man called out, kicking the donkey into a gallop. When he reached Gaston he held out his hand, which Gaston shook.

"Tom," the man introduced himself with a grin. "On the way to the Ruby Red Slipper? That would be a wonderful idea, since there is a bad ice storm coming on. I'm staying there for the night, that's for sure."

Gaston looked around, having already noted the signs of an oncoming storm. "I've never heard of that place. But I will agree with you about a storm coming up, and needing to seek shelter."

"Well, follow us!" Tom called out and with a kick the donkey went off at a gallop. Gaston followed, though his horse only had to go at a fast canter to catch up with the smaller animal and it's rider.

After a few miles they slowed down and began to talk. Gaston found out that Tom was originally from Spain, which accounted for his odd accent, and was a man of all trades, though he loved hunting and claimed to be an excellent marksman. Gaston protested to this and it was decided that the next day they were to have a small shoot off against each other the next day.

When they came upon a clearing Gaston got his first glimpse of the tavern.

The Ruby Red Slipper looked just like any other tavern from the outside except for one thing: the sign, which had an image of a red slipper on it that sparkled as if it was made out of tiny little rubies.

"Neat little place, huh?" asked Tom as they took their animals to the stable part of the tavern.

When they walked into the bar Gaston was slightly overcome by the sights inside. There was a mish-mash of different looking people, some men tall and skinny as a tree, others shorter than Tom with beards that trailed the floor. Also there were beautiful women everywhere dressed in bright shades of reds, oranges, and greens.

He sat down at the bar with Tom and looked over towards the stage at the front of the tavern. A man with skin the color of an oak tree walked on and called out. "Tonight for your listening pleasure let me introduce to you, Courtney Ashman!"

Music began playing a girl stepped out onto the stage; She was about Belle's height , though she had a much fuller figure. She had dark-colored curly hair and wore a red floor-length dress that sparkled as she moved around the stage, almost hypnotically…

_"It's good, isn't it?  
Grand, isn't it?  
Great, isn't it?  
Swell, isn't it?  
Fun, isn't it?  
Nowadays…"_

Suddenly a voice spoke in Gaston's ear, startling him. "Why, hello. I'mYubba and let me personally welcome you to the Ruby Red Slipper."

Gaston studied her. She was about 5 feet tall with gray-silver hair and odd looking glasses, and spoke with a light English accent.

"I figure that you will be thirsty, and need a place to stay for the night," she finished. Gaston nodded and his gaze went back to the woman on stage who was still singing, slowly falling under the spell of her siren-like voice. Slowly he forgot all about Belle, Maurice, or anything else for that matter.

_There's men, everywhere  
Just, everywhere  
Booze, everywhere  
Life, everywhere  
Joy, everywhere  
Nowadays_

Yubba smiled, Yes, this handsome young man would most certainly be staying a while, The humans usually did after hearing Courtney's singing or being charmed by her daughter…

_In fifty years or so  
It's gonna change, you know  
But, oh, it's heaven  
Nowadays_


End file.
